Janice R. Andrews
A surprising health and safety error that received a lot of media attention at the Olympics’ closing ceremony at the Stade de France has caused the event to go viral. Even though there was a spectacular light show, pyrotechnics, and a dramatic performance by Tom Cruise, the evening took a hilarious turn when athletes started tripping over a misplaced carpet.
Designed as a spectacular conclusion, the event featured performances by Billie Eilish in Los Angeles and Phoenix in Paris, a smooth handoff from one host city to the next as Paris sent the Olympic torch to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games. The stadium embodied the Olympic spirit, a throbbing hub of excitement and activity. But when the athletes—representing their countries—started to make their way towards the stadium’s centre and came upon the unlucky trip hazard, the atmosphere softened significantly.
Many of the competitors were taken aback by a bump in the carpet as they triumphantly marched towards the centre of the arena, almost resulting in multiple near-misses. During the live broadcast, commentator Andrew Cotter couldn’t help but notice the circumstance, saying that it “didn’t look very health and safety.” Fortunately, none of the competitors suffered any injuries despite the possibility of harm, though at least five were observed tripping.
Viewers were aware of the incident and shared their opinions on social media in large numbers. “The only good thing about this Olympics closing ceremony so far is the athletes tripping over the carpet,” a user on X said in jest. Another person said, “What a way to end the Olympics with all the athletes tripping over at the closing ceremony.” Even though it was little, the incident gave an otherwise well-executed event an unexpected twist that many spectators found unforgettable—the end of the Games.
Remarkably, there was a great deal of attention around the closing ceremony after the opening ceremony drew criticism for what some saw as a spoof of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” In order to avoid more controversy, the closing ceremony script underwent many alterations after the French Catholic Church denounced the image.
Director of ceremonies Thierry Reboul stated that the screenplay was revised several times to make sure it didn’t accidentally insult anyone. Even with the changes, the event ended up being remembered for purposes other than its planned opulence.
Ultimately, the carpet mishap became the topic of conversation, with several fans jokingly claiming it was the high point of the closing ceremony. This unforeseen occurrence provided as a humorous reminder that even the most well prepared events may have unplanned moments as the Olympics came to an end.
