A Guide To Volunteering at the Paris Olympics 2024

The volunteers program for the Games will launch an online portal this Wednesday, March 22, 2024, in Paris. Approximately 45,000 volunteers will have the opportunity to see firsthand the Olympic Games from July 26 to August 11, 2024, and the Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8, 2024. Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and three-time Olympic gold medalist in canoe slalom, remarked during a press conference announcing the launch on Tuesday (21 March) that “we were all welcomed by a volunteer in the world of sport.” “Volunteers made the initial contacts; they are the ones who first inspired us.” In addition to being influential in French sport, they are also crucial to the Games’ organization. They will represent the Olympics in Paris in 2024.”

Check The Online Website

On March 22, the sole location to sign up to be a part of the experience is on the official website for volunteering for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, 2024. This Wednesday, March 22, is the opening of the bidding process, which ends on May 3, 2023. Visit the website for further details on the Paris 2024 volunteers program. People of all ages can apply starting in March 2023 to be a part of the largest athletic event and directly contribute to its smooth operation. As a volunteer, your goals may include enhancing the quality of the experience for participants in the games, promoting athletic performance, or helping with event operations. 

Participation of Volunteers

Volunteers will have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of roles throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games in different locations throughout France, including driving accredited members, assisting with equipment distribution, supporting timekeeping activities, assisting sports delegations, escorting athletes to competition sites and press conferences, and providing medical support, to mention a few. 

“We have solicitations from athletes who want to get involved in this volunteer program,” stated Estanguet. “We have more than fifty athletes who have told us, ‘I was an athlete and I want to pay back and take part in this beautiful party.'” Volunteers will have an exclusive glimpse into the 2024 Summer Olympics, but they will still be responsible for covering the cost of their airfare and lodging in France.

Attend Interviews And Sessions

There is a need for volunteers to help with a variety of tasks, such as directing spectators to the stands, greeting athletes at the Athletes’ Village, driving competitors and officials to and from events, setting up starting blocks for track and field competitions, gathering tennis balls, and distributing gear like radios, headsets, and uniforms. Every Olympics requires the recruitment of roughly 45,000 volunteers, and the hunt for these individuals begins about two years prior to the event. Applications are accepted through May 3, 2023, at this time. During the summer, the organizing committee will analyze the applications, and between September and December of 2023, the candidates will be informed of their assignment to a volunteer post. 

Requirements For Application

To be eligible to apply, volunteers must be at least eighteen years old by January 1, 2024. Second, they have to be able to enter France lawfully and travel there for the games. U.S. citizens can visit France with a passport alone, but as tourists, they do not require a visa and can remain for up to 90 days. Volunteers must speak French and/or English fluently, as these are the official languages of the games. While the majority of volunteer positions don’t require any particular talents, some do demand a driver’s license, a foreign language proficiency, or substantial knowledge in a particular sport. 

Background Checks

Between July 12, 2024, when the Athletes’ Village opens, and September 10, 2024, two days after the Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony, volunteers will be needed. While volunteers are not needed to be available for the full two months, preference will be given to those who can guarantee at least ten days of voluntary work during that period.

Boycott Paris Olympics 2024

Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Denmark, and other nations have already said that they will boycott the 2024 Summer Olympics if the IOC does not reverse its decision. These nations are in addition to Ukraine. Up to 40 people might participate in the boycott, according to Polish Sports Minister Kamil Bortniczuk. The worker, some of whom are illegal, is engaged in these tasks, and the activist criticizes their working conditions as well. He claims that although the Olympic Committee and other officials emphasize the advantages of having the Games in Paris and Seine-Saint-Denis, the request for fictitious volunteers “is not so much a form of sabotage but rather a way of making a dissenting voice heard.”

Conclusion

To ensure that volunteers are matched with positions that suit them, elements of the application process are dedicated to addressing these additional talents. Volunteers who possess a certificate and three years of expertise in a particular profession, such as horse healthcare, are expected to be allocated to assist in the equestrian events held in Versailles.