The Paris Diamond League is in doubt as police call for cancellation due to historic heatwave

Representative image (AP Photo) A historic heatwave that swept through France threw the Paris Diamond League into uncertainty this weekend after police authorities called for the prestigious athletics event to be canceled, citing increasing pressure on emergency services and worsening weather conditions.The Paris police prefecture announced on Friday that it had asked organizers to cancel Sunday’s Diamond League meeting, along with several other major public events, including a music festival and the city’s annual Pride march. Authorities said the extraordinary heat that has gripped the French capital since June 21 has forced rescuers to prioritize protecting the most vulnerable residents.The prefecture warned that it would enforce a cancellation order if the organizers did not voluntarily comply.The move seriously threatens one of the stops on the Diamond League calendar, with Olympic champions and world stars including Noah Lyles, Femke Bol and Armand “Mondo” Duplantis expected to compete.

Organizers hope to stage a tailored event despite the extreme conditions

The French athletics federation, which is organizing the meeting, told The Associated Press that it had not yet received an official order to cancel.A day earlier, organizers had insisted that the competition would take place in a modified format to minimize health risks.“The safety of athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials and spectators remains our absolute priority,” the organizers said. “Only elite athletes will be able to compete at the Paris meeting. This arrangement ensures that the event can go ahead while maintaining the highest possible safety standards.”The unprecedented weather has already broken national records. According to Meteo France, the average temperature recorded at 30 weather stations reached 30 degrees Celsius (86 °F) for the second consecutive day on Thursday, matching the warmest national average ever recorded.More than three quarters of France are now under a red weather warning for the first time in the country’s history.