The World Health Organization (WHO) is actively involved in the upcoming Paris Olympics, supporting the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and France to ensure a healthy and safe environment for both spectators and athletes. The Games officially begin this Friday.
“Just as athletes and fans around the world have been preparing for the Paris Olympics, WHO has been working with the IOC and the Government of France to make sure these Games are healthy and safe for everyone involved,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “From promoting physical activity to protecting people from a range of health threats, WHO has been proud to play its part in making the Paris Olympics a success.”
WHO and the IOC, partners since signing a memorandum of understanding in 2020 (renewed this year), have launched the “Let’s Move” physical activity promotion campaign. This initiative aims to inspire sports stars and the global public to engage in physical activity for better health, leveraging the platform of the Paris Olympics.
As part of this campaign, the French Government has implemented a program encouraging 30 minutes of daily physical activity for school students, aiming to leave a lasting, healthy legacy from the Paris Olympics.
WHO health security experts from its Geneva headquarters and European Regional Office in Copenhagen have been working closely with national and regional authorities to ensure the health and safety of all attendees. This includes preparations for potential health-related scenarios such as heatwaves, infectious disease outbreaks, food and water safety hazards, terrorism, and crowd management.
In collaboration with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and France, joint public health advice has been developed for travelers attending the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, which commence on August 28. Guidance covers necessary vaccines, protection against illnesses, and tips for staying cool and hydrated.
WHO has participated in IOC Paris 2024 simulation exercises to test public health plans and has established Olympics-specific health event-based surveillance. Daily situation reports are being produced in collaboration with the ECDC, aimed at capturing early signals of health events and facilitating timely responses.
Dr. Tedros will take part in the Olympic Torch Relay on Friday, following his speech at the Paris Summit on Sports for Sustainable Development, hosted by the French Presidency and the IOC. During the Summit, WHO will commit to mobilizing for nutrition ahead of next year’s fourth Nutrition for Growth Summit in Paris, and will expand support to countries to improve diets, promote physical activity, and manage obesity, aiming to reduce obesity prevalence in targeted countries by 5% by 2030.
