Belgium sends 165 athletes to Paris Olympics, as well as police to help reinforce security

Team Belgium has sent 165 athletes to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris from 26 July to 11 August, the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee (BOIC) has announced.

This makes the team – consisting of 83 men and 82 women –  the country's largest Olympic delegation since Amsterdam 1928, when 172 Belgian athletes took part. Some 123 athletes participated in the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021.

The Belgian team will compete in 21 sports in Paris: artistic gymnastics, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, weightlifting, golf, hockey, judo, kayak sprint, climbing, equestrianism, rowing, fencing, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, cycling, sailing and swimming.

There are also 15 reserves in case a selected athlete is injured. For example, BMX rider Elke Vanhoof broke a cervical vertebrae on Saturday and will be replaced by Aiko Gommers. In athletics, Jonathan Borlée was forced to withdraw after suffering a hamstring injury. The 36-year-old will be replaced by Christian Iguacel in the men's 4x400m.

Manneken Pis

Brussels’ emblematic peeing boy is all dressed up in Team Belgium colours in support of his country’s athletes, reports RTBF.

The bronze statue was kitted out in the tracksuit at a special ceremony attended by Brussels mayor Philippe Close and BOIC president Jean-Michel Saive.

“It is an honour for me to pass through Brussels just before leaving for Paris,” said Saive. “We are going to the Olympic Games with the largest delegation since 1928, which I hope will allow us to win a large number of medals.”

For Manneken Pis, this was his 1,152nd costume. His ever expanding and colourful wardrobe already includes outfits for the Tokyo 2020 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Security

The 45,000 French gendarmes in charge of security during the games will be reinforced by several dozen Belgian officers, announced the federal police. They include a Belgian liaison officer, explosive detection dogs and an anti-drone team, reports RTBF.

The global event represents a major security operation. As well as the opening ceremony on the Seine on Friday, the games will be attended by more than 10,000 athletes competing in 40 venues. Between 10 and 15 million visitors are also expected in the French capital for the occasion.

France is deploying at least 30,000 gendarmes, rising to 45,000 at peak times. Some 40 countries, including Belgium, are sending a total of 1,800 officers to assist them.

Terrorist threat

Belgian state security has warned that the Olympics could be a potential target not only for terrorists but also for espionage, cyber threats and extremist protests. That’s why intelligence services of several European countries are sending a liaison officer who can exchange information with the French police during the event.

The Belgian police are also sending officers with explosive detection dogs to check buildings and venues. A special anti-drone team will locate, identify and if necessary remove hostile drones from the sky with special equipment under the authority of France. Belgium specialises in this type of anti-drone operation.

Finally, Belgian officers will carry out checks in France and at the border. The Belgian railway police will carry out extra patrols at Brussels Midi station on trains heading towards France. Rail passengers should expect longer waiting times.

Photos: ©Belga