Paris Diamond League to go ahead Sunday safety measures

The Paris Diamond League track and field meet will proceed this Sunday at Charlety Stadium under a significantly adapted format, organizers confirmed Friday, despite a formal request from Paris police authorities to cancel the event due to an extreme and historic heatwave.

The French Athletics Federation (FFA), which organizes the meet, stated it is proceeding in agreement with the police prefecture, having implemented a series of safety modifications. This follows a day of uncertainty after the Paris Police Prefecture issued a decree calling for the cancellation of all large-scale weekend events, citing the strain on emergency services and the need to protect vulnerable populations during the severe weather.

France is experiencing an unprecedented heatwave, with more than three-quarters of the country under a red weather alert for the first time in its history. The alert has been in effect since June 20, with temperatures in the Paris region reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). National weather agency Meteo France reported record-high average temperatures across the country this week.

In response, organizers have drastically scaled back the event. Only...