Games fakers: Olympic ‘pseudo-volunteers’ plan to disrupt Paris 2024

An anti-Olympics collective is aiming to disrupt next year’s Paris Games by recruiting fake volunteers. Saccage 2024, which translates as “Destruction 2024”, has already generated a buzz on social media with its “pseudo-volunteer” plan, saying they should be paid for their work.

“Volunteering is supposed to be for the common good and that is not the case for the Olympic Games – it does not have charitable aims,” said Saccage 2024 member Arthur, who declined to give his family name.

The 25-year-old, an environmental activist who lives in Saint-Denis, where the bulk of the Games will be organised, plans to withdraw at the last minute or try to disrupt the Games from within if he is selected to be a volunteer. Saccage and other critics of the Paris Olympics say the event will negatively affect the environment and benefit big businesses and elites, rather than locals.

Paris 2024 organisers did not immediately respond to a request for comment but have said in the past that they would organise “popular and spectacular Games” that will bring in millions of visitors.

Olympics organisers are looking to recruit 45,000 volunteers. They have said that volunteering – also widely used in past Games – is an opportunity to participate in the Olympics. The deadline for applications is 3 May. Paris 2024 have said they would take the time to ensure the “sincerity” of candidates and that volunteers would have a background check. Candidates are required to demonstrate their motivation and experience, and there will be interviews for some roles. Volunteers will receive uniforms, free travel and meal vouchers.

The Games are more than a year away and there is no certainty activists will be able to generate the numbers needed to disrupt events.