Paris Olympics 2024 Diary: From Paris with love and receiving a pin from an Olympic medallist

Paris Olympics 2024: Our correspondents Y.B. Sarangi and Jonathan Selvaraj share their experiences from the Olympic Games in Paris.

Steely presence: Col. Ashok (centre) officiated the high-voltage clash between Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Since 1904, only four Indian referees have officiated at the Olympics.

Incidentally, Col. Ashok officiated one of the most anticipated and high-voltage bouts, involving Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori. This match followed Italian Angela Carini’s withdrawal from her fight with Imane, which triggered a gender row.

Col. Ashok, the only Indian to hold the coveted position of President of the World Military Boxing Council (CISM), has also conducted bouts at the World Championships.

He is also the only Indian referee to have been fast-tracked from two-star to three-star status. Before this, Kishen Narsi and Jay Kowli officiated at the London 2012 Olympics.

Feels like home

It is a beautiful experience to witness the Parisians’ love for their country’s national teams, cutting across various sports disciplines. Apart from individual events, team competitions such as football, rugby, and basketball attract large numbers of spectators to the stadiums.

Local support on point: When France took on the USA in both the men’s and women’s finals during the last two days of the Games, big crowds gathered not only at the venues but also restaurants, cafes, and bars across the city to support their teams.  | Photo Credit: Getty Images

In a country that’s mad about football, the craze for basketball is equally amazing. When France took on the USA in both the men’s and women’s finals during the last two days of the Games, big crowds gathered at restaurants, cafes, and bars across the city to support their teams.

The eatery owners installed big screens to show live telecasts of the matches, and with the crowds reacting to every moment, the whole of Paris turned into a large stadium. Even though the USA showcased its dominance, it did not affect the French people’s love for their teams.

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Y. B. Sarangi

Winning by pin

One of the traditions of the Olympic Games is the collection and exchange of pins. Before the Games begin, representatives from all countries — athletes, coaches, administrators, and even journalists — are given official pins.

Wherever you go, there are almost always volunteers who collect and exchange the pins they already possess for those from countries that they don’t already have.

They often stick these pins on the ribbons of their accreditation cards. By the end of the Games, the ribbons are adorned with pins from a wide variety of countries.

Pin of fortune: Before the Games get underway, the representatives of all countries — athletes, coaches, administrators and even journalists — are given official pins. | Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR

One pin that seems particularly hard to get is that of India. Many volunteers from the country say that they have requested pins from the Indian administrators who are part of the Indian contingent, but they have been told that none are available.

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The few pins that this journalist collected were given by athletes and coaches and were then exchanged for pins from athletes and coaches of other countries.

Perhaps his most prized pin was one from Cuba. It was originally given to Manu Bhaker, but the 22-year-old has a tradition of not accepting any gifts before a competition.

Her coach, Jaspal Rana, passed the pin to this journalist. Manu went on to win two Olympic bronze medals — a more than suitable exchange policy.

Jonathan Selvaraj