6 big questions about the Paris Olympics, answered

With the Olympics kicking into gear, theScore is here to answer six of the most burning questions in Paris.

Are athletes going to swim in the Seine?

Hypothetically.

Swimming in the Seine has been banned for over a century because of fecal contamination. When the city won the bid for the Olympics in 2017, Parisian mayor Anne Hidalgo promised that the city's famous river would be swimmable for the 2024 Olympics. In keeping with that promise, she and Tony Estanguet, head of the Paris Olympic committee, swam in the Seine on July 17 to prove the water was sanitary.

Like many major cities built in the 19th century, Paris has a combined sewer system, meaning human wastewater and stormwater travel through the same pipes to the water treatment facility. However, in heavy rainstorms, wastewater and stormwater can overflow into the river, spiking unsafe fecal bacteria like E. coli.

The city has spent around $1.5 billion USD treating the contaminated water, constructing a new tunnel system and a large underground tank to hold the water during major storms. That infrastructure opened in May and can store over 13 million gallons of water. The Seine's contamination levels will be tested daily before the athletes take to the water on July 30.

The opening ceremonies, triathlon, and open-water swimming events are scheduled to take place on the Seine. If the water levels aren't deemed safe enough for the events, the swimming portion of the triathlon will be removed. Open-water swimming will move to the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, the site of the Games' rowing and canoe events.

Are the Russians going to compete?

Yes, but with additional parameters.

The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) was suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for "state-sponsored doping" in 2017. Russian athletes were still allowed to compete under the ROC designation, with no Russian national anthem. But Russia's invasion of Ukraine changed that. In 2023, the ROC unilaterally transferred regions originally designated under the Olympic Committee of Ukraine to become under Russia's jurisdiction. The IOC suspended the ROC for breaking the Olympic Charter in October 2023. It also banned Belarus, one of Russia's allies.

Athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport are not barred from participating in the Olympics, according to CNN. Instead, they'll compete as Individual Neutral Athletes, with no flag, anthem, or uniforms referencing the two countries. Participants may not actively support the war and may not be contracted to join the Russian military, subject to approval from the individual neutral athlete eligibility review panel.

There are 15 Russian athletes scheduled to compete, including Daniil Medvedev, the fifth-ranked men's tennis player in the world.

What's going on with the opening ceremonies?

The opening ceremonies are scheduled to take place on the Seine, marking the first time they won't be held in a stadium.

Around 10,500 athletes will ride in open boats along the river in front of over 300,000 spectators. The ceremonies are expected to start at 7:30 p.m. Parisian time, and they'll travel over three and a half miles to end near the Eiffel Tower.

This is all subject to weather and security concerns, with French President Emmanuel Macron noting that there are "plan B's and plan C's" according to the Associated Press. These include potentially moving the ceremonies to the Stade de France, the current venue for track and field and rugby sevens.

Why is surfing in Tahiti?

Teahupo'o, Tahiti will host the Olympic surfing competitions. The country is a territory in French Polynesia, and it's known in the surfing world for its fierce and dangerous waves. Teahupo'o's reputation made it stand apart from potential venues in continental Europe, as it's previously held both the men's and women's championship tour events for surfing.

Infrastructure is a big reason for holding surfing in Tahiti, despite the 12-hour time difference. The Olympics have previously received flak about abandoned venues in host countries: Before the Tokyo Games, the IOC introduced "Olympic Agenda 2020," which has since been updated to "Olympic Agenda 20+5," a roadmap of 15 recommendations for the Paris 2024, Los Angeles 2028, and Brisbane 2032 Games.

One of the roadmap's main objectives is to improve environmentalism and create lasting legacies. The goal is to make the Games climate positive by 2030 and focus on the sustainability of venues over economic value. Instead of needing an entirely new venue, the IOC turned to a country with surfing infrastructure already in place.

What is breaking?

Breaking was first introduced at the Buenos Aries Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2018 and is the newest sport making its debut in Paris. Originating in the Bronx, breaking requires competitors - colloquially known as "B-Boys" and "B-Girls" - to improvise their moves and style to the music they're provided on the spot. A panel judges competitors based on their performance, creativity, and technique.

Head-to-head battles will take place in a best-of-three format. Each performance lasts roughly one minute, with the opponent starting immediately after the first breaker finishes. The competition will begin with a round robin, followed by single-knockout quarters, semis, and finals.

What's special about Paris' medals?

This year's Olympic medals have a fun addition: each will contain a piece of the Eiffel Tower.

Fragments of the original iron used to build the structure were collected from the Eiffel Tower's previous renovations. The pieces were melted down and embedded into the center of each medal in a shape that pays tribute to France's nickname, "The Hexagon" - used because the mainland's outline is roughly six-sided.