I worked as an independent journalist at the Tokyo 2020 Games and returned in that same capacity for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Working at the Olympics is always a unique experience.
Due to the COVID pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics were pushed to 2021 with severe restrictions.
No spectators were allowed, and only a limited group of media professionals and necessary personnel were present. But surprisingly it was an amazing experience.
I spent days quarantining before I could leave my hotel room. But once I got the green light to roam free, I could feel that Olympic spirit I grew up watching on TV all around me. Pride, patriotism, and unity somehow managed to cut through the fear and isolation that had consumed many of us throughout the pandemic.
Tokyo was efficient, clean, and accommodating, so I had reasonable expectations for Paris, which had already hosted the Olympics twice.
Unfortunately, Paris didn’t even come close to the experience I imagined. Here are the seven things that surprised me most.
