‘It’s a Fundamental Part of Sports’: Americans Aren’t Keen on The Paris Olympics’ Booze Ban

Americans are surprised and displeased by the booze ban at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

NBC News reported on Tuesday that Americans lucky enough to be at the Paris Olympics aren’t too happy about the event’s no-booze policy.

Levi Overdorff and Tiffany Thompson from Pittsburgh shared their thoughts with the news organization:

“We went to the soccer match between Israel and Paraguay the other day and I said to her, ‘This is going to get pretty crazy,’ but when we got inside… no booze!”

Sacre bleu! What’s a sober American to do when one can’t enjoy a glass of wine at the City of Lights during the Summer 2024 Olympics?

“We have had a lot of complaints — every day,” an unnamed individual working as a server at Eiffel Tower Stadium said. “People are really unhappy about it.”

But Americans aren’t the only ones struggling with the country’s dry Olympics. Other Europeans appeared to be frustrated with the policy, but they weren’t afraid to get creative. Petr Petrovic and Milan Nagovanic purchased beers from one of the neighboring shops and drank it outside of one of the venues.

“We just went and got these from the store,” Petrovic said. “But we were definitely surprised.”

Interestingly enough, a French law that dates back to 1991 mandated that sports organizations can sell booze at 10 events in a single year.

The Olympics features over 700 events, so the sporting event would have to apply for “an exemption,” according to NBC. A spokesperson for the Paris 2024 Olympics claimed it would have required the country to change its laws due to the sheer size of the Olympic Games.

Those in the VIP lounge might just find themselves in luck — these lounges are run by private catering companies that are allowed to serve liquor. The outlet reported that joe schmoes were able to watch wealthy individuals enjoying drinks from a “fully stocked bar” in a tent with tickets that cost $475 a pop to watch a volleyball game.

Yet it appears individuals with regular tickets to the Olympics will have to stick to soft drinks.

“We’re not talking about getting hammered, and once you’re inside the venue the atmosphere will be great anyway,” Dan Lowther from Albuquerque said according to NBC News. “It’s just that beer or a glass of wine on the grass right now would be perfect. The lack of alcohol is odd. I think it’s a fundamental part of sports.”

The Olympics are far from the first sporting event in France that have implemented a booze ban this year.

In May, the French Open banned booze after tennis players like David Goffin experienced abuse during the game. An enraged fan apparently spat chewing gum at the player, and organizers of the event nixed liquor at the French Open shortly after. Perhaps a dry policy for the largest sporting event in the world seems justified.

Some Parisians appear to be in favor of the Olympics’ no liquor policy.

“I think it’s a good thing because it means the Games are more family-friendly,” Pascal Marceillac said according to NBC. “Other sporting competitions serve alcohol, but the Olympics is different. It has a different spirit.”

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