France: Olympic Games’ stadium attack foiled!

05.06.2024 11:32 source: StadiumDB.com; author: Paulina Skóra

The press office of the French Ministry of the Interior reported the foiling of an "Islamist-inspired" attack. The planned attack was to take place during the upcoming Summer Olympics, with the target being the football stadium in Saint-Étienne.

Preparations for the attack

On May 22, 2024, the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) in Saint-Étienne arrested an 18-year-old Chechen citizen suspected of planning an "Islamist-inspired" attack. The intended target was Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. According to the Ministry of the Interior, this is the first foiled attack aimed at the Olympics, which will take place in Paris from July 26 to August 11.

According to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, the suspect considered an attack inside the stadium. His "plan B" was to attack the area adjacent to the stadium, near the fan stalls. During a search of the suspect’s residence, films and other materials were secured. It is known that he inquired about the security level of Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. French television reported that investigators found conversations the suspect had on encrypted channels with members of the Khorasan, a terrorist group affiliated with ISIS.

One of the Olympic venues

Stade Geoffroy-Guichard was opened in 1931. It underwent major renovations for tournaments such as Euro 1984, the 1998 World Cup, and Euro 2016. In 1974, the stadium received the nickname "The Cauldron", given by a Yugoslav journalist intrigued by the extraordinary atmosphere during a Round of 16 match of the European Cup Winners' Cup. He compared the place to a bubbling cauldron. The current attendance record was set on May 11, 1985, during the French Cup quarterfinal between AS Saint-Étienne and Lille OSC, with 47,747 spectators.

During the upcoming Olympic Games, the stadium will host six football matches in the group stage. In addition to Saint-Étienne, the tournament will also take place at Stade Vélodrome, Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Stade Matmut Atlantique, Allianz Riviera, and Stade de la Beaujoire.