Spectators Won’t Access Alcohol During 2024 Summer Olympics

Spectators won’t be able to have access to alcohol during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in line with “Evin’s Law” in France.

The Olympics Committee ought to have filed a waiver against the law but decided not to do so ahead of the global event.

In France, “Evin’s Law” implies that it is illegal to sell alcohol to the general public in stadiums, however, there are a few exceptions allowed every year for specific occasions.

A spokesman told Reuters that a legal amendment would have been necessary to accommodate the size of the 2024 Summer Olympics.

“Paris 2024 will be organizing more than 700 competition sessions over 15 days of competition,” said the spokesperson.

“It is the strict application of French law that allows catering services that include the provision of alcohol to operate in hospitality areas as they are governed by a separate law on catering.”

On the contrary, fans will be permitted to consume alcohol inside stadiums at this year’s Rugby World Cup in France thanks to a special exception that the organizers were able to secure.

During the 2022 Champions League final, fans were permitted to drink inside the Stade de France in Paris from 6 PM local time to the end of the game. However, buying and drinking alcohol outside the stadium was not permitted.

While beer and wine were sold at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics, alcohol sales were not permitted for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Games, which were conducted in 2021 without any spectators due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Also, two days before the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Fifa changed its rules to prohibit the sale of alcohol at any of the eight stadiums hosting the tournament.