Zico’s Paris Ordeal: Stolen Bag, Olympic Flame’s Arrival
Former Brazilian football legend Zico has become the victim of a theft in Paris, with his bag containing valuables worth hundreds of thousands of euros stolen. The incident occurred while Zico, 71, was in transit, leaving his car window open. The stolen items included cash, watches, and diamond jewelry.
While the Parisien daily reported the value of the stolen goods at 500,000 euros ($542,000), a source close to the matter has disputed this figure as highly exaggerated. Zico, a three-time World Cup participant, is currently in Paris as a guest of the Brazilian Olympic team ahead of the 2024 Games.
Meanwhile, the Olympic flame made its grand entrance into Paris on Friday, carried by a white-clad bearer on a diesel-belching tug. The flame had previously been carried by US rapper Snoop Dogg and passed under the peripherique motorway.
The 68th stage of the relay, entitled the “Epilogue,” marked the flame’s final journey before the Games. It had previously passed through Paris on Bastille Day and July 15 before circling the suburbs.
Earlier in the day, the flame visited the athletes’ village, where International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon took turns as torchbearers. Athletes from around the world captured the moment on their phones, expressing awe and excitement.
The flame’s journey continued through Saint-Denis, where rapper MC Solaar carried it, and stopped at the Stade de France, where Snoop Dogg took his turn. It then boarded a series of canal boats, cruising past factories and housing blocks to Paris, accompanied by spectators, security, and even canoeists in fancy dress.
The relay toured the Parc de la Villette and the Parc des Nations, housing the “clubhouses” of various countries. It then took to the water again, cruising down the Canal de l’Ourcq towards the Canal Saint-Martin and the Seine.
