PARIS — For all the years-long buildup to the Olympic Games in Paris and all the overwhelming spectacle of the Opening Ceremony along the Seine River, there’s one closely guarded secret at the heart of it all: Who will light the cauldron to begin the 2024 Summer Olympics?
The highest ceremonial honor a host nation can bestow, the cauldron lighter is traditionally an Olympic figure of the highest standing — think Muhammad Ali in Atlanta in 1996, or Naomi Osaka in Japan in 2021. We already know Snoop Dogg will be carrying the torch for part of its final run, but Snoop — not exactly a well-known French athlete — likely won’t be doing the final honors.