TWO much-loved BBC hosts will have their Olympic workload limited due to France’s strict employment laws.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will begin next week with Team GB hoping to enjoy a golden fortnight in the capital of France.
BBC will be providing all of the coverage from the extravaganza to the UK.
However, a number of their most high-profile presenters will be unable to perform double duty.
Gabby Logan is one of those that will be affected as she is prevented from hosting morning and evening athletics sessions during the Games.
And Clare Balding is another that it applies regarding the swimming, with her now just set to do the evening swimming finals from La Defence Arena.
French law states that employees must have a minimum of 11 hours between shifts.
With athletics events starting at 9am and the Beeb’s coverage running until late in the evening, they will be unable to adhere to those rules with one presenter.
The Telegraph, who claim there are concerns that broadcasters could be stopped from recording if they flout the rules, report Logan as saying: “Because of the French working directive, we are not allowed to do the morning session and the evening session.
“They are really strict about it apparently. It’s not just a kind of box-ticking exercise.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
“It’s quite a change for all of us because we are used to these really early sessions in the morning.”
BBC have a list of pundits that include Jessica Ennis-Hill, Michael Johnson and Denise Lewis that are set to appear from a studio inside the Stade de France on an evening.
Meanwhile, morning coverage will come from the main BBC Eiffel Tower studio that will have Jeanette Kwakye, a former Olympic sprinter, alongside JJ Chalmers, an Invictus Games medallist.
Logan added: “We are all having to work to those rules within the BBC.
“We know the French work to live. It just means we split the day up slightly differently.
Presenters:
Studio guests:
Radio:
“Jeannette is doing that portion of the day in the studio, which means that she will be able to cover off the morning athletics stories, and we will be doing all the evening at the stadium.
“It’s always much better to be in situ for me as a sports presenter.
“Once I’ve watched the athletics it means I will be able to keep my eye across more sports during the day which is exciting.”
Nearly 15,000 residents – around 10,500 of which are athletes – will be cramming into the Olympic village between July 26 and August 11.
To ensure the athletes feel at home, a number of provisions have been made by organisers.
One of these is the stocking of some 300,000 condoms, in theory enough for around two every day during the run of the Games.
A number of Olympic athletes have opened the door on their steamy lives behind-the-scenes when in camp, including huge sex orgies and parties.
London 2012 had claimed the title of “the raunchiest Games ever”, but the 150,000 condoms ordered paled in comparison to the 450,000 ordered for the Rio Games four years later.
Condoms have been laid on by organisers at every game since Seoul 1988, when it they were used to spread awareness of HIV and AIDS.
Even with an intimacy ban at Tokyo 2020 due to Covid-19, some 150,000 johnnies were handed out.
Read the full story here.
