Paris Olympics chief cancels opening ceremony press conference less than 20 MINUTES before start as directors are called away to help prepare for show this evening

The Paris 2024 Olympics chief has suddenly cancelled the press conference discussing the ceremony less than 20 minutes before it was set to begin.

The Games will officially get underway this evening following the opening ceremony in the French capital, which will be the first time in the history of the event that it is not to be held inside a stadium.

Instead, it will take place outside of a closed stadium, with Paris to host a never before seen water parade for the Olympics.

The open-air spectacle will take place along a 6km stretch of the Seine River and will include a total of 160 boats, carrying 94 athletes each along the iconic river.

There are concerns over the event, however, with heavy rain falling in Paris this morning, which could cause issues around the river by the time the ceremony gets underway tonight. 

During the parade, there will be over 3,000 performers in the ceremony with the delegations and passengers on the boasts.

The parade will finish in front of the Trocadero where the remaining performances and elements of the Olympic protocol will take place. 

Although the floating parade was originally planned as a people’s party along the banks, the French police have intervened and for security reasons most spectators will be assigned to an area or allocated seats in fenced-off areas for the ceremony.

Each country will debut their athletes with one of their most prolific names holding their national or regional flags at the beginning of the ceremony.

Greece traditionally debut first as a nod to where the Olympics originated first, with the host country being last to feature. 

The Olympic anthem will then ring out after the head of state of the host country announces the commencement of the Games. 

The iconic Olympic flame will then be brought forward for the lighting of the main torch which is the culmination of the opening ceremony as well as the release of doves, symbolising peace amongst all countries.

More rain is scheduled for later on today in Paris, but organisers will hope that it holds off until after the ceremony has concluded.