Following the attack on a concert hall in Moscow on 22 March, which killed 144 people and was claimed by the Islamic State (IS), President Emmanuel Macron's government has raised the alert level to the highest, calling it a "terrorist emergency."

"Today, there is no terrorist threat against the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We will continue to monitor the terrorist threat if necessary," Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera told the France 2 channel. 

Asked if there was a contingency plan for the opening ceremony of the Olympic event, scheduled for 26 July, the French minister reiterated that the celebration on the banks of the Seine in central Paris was the "central plan". "We should respect discretion. Not discussing it, not talking about a plan B, does not mean that we have not planned it," she said.

The organisers have dismissed the idea of moving the opening ceremony from the Seine but have suggested the possibility of scaling it down. This could mean, for example, that only artists rather than athletes are allowed to board the boats.

The French Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin, has reported that security forces are screening up to one million people ahead of the Games, including residents living near critical infrastructure. On 25 March, Darmanin stated that France "was be ready" to ensure security.

A practice run for the opening ceremony along the Seine is scheduled for 17 June, following another preliminary rehearsal on 27 May. France will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games from 26 July to 8 September, with at least 10 million spectators expected.