The Latest: The 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony is underway with Lady Gaga performing, parades and more. The ceremony came hours after suspected acts of sabotage targeting trains. Follow AP’s live coverage.
PARIS (AP) — The Nigeria women’s basketball team wasn’t allowed to board the delegation’s boat for the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, said a person familiar with the situation.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on Friday condition of anonymity because the Nigeria delegation has not publicly commented.
Once the team made it to the area where it was supposed to board the boat for the ceremony, the group was denied entry by a Nigerian official who told the players and coaches there were too many people on board. The team then made its way to the athletes village after being turned away. The rest of the Nigerian delegation shared a boat with Niger and Norway.
Messages were left seeking comment from a Nigeria press officer.
The team had been sent logistics for the event before the group made the 2-hour, 28-minute, 138-mile (222 km) trip as part of a bus caravan of several teams from Lille, where the preliminary basketball rounds are being played. The buses had a police escort.
The buses going back to Lille were picking up the teams at the end of the opening ceremony route, and it was unclear if Nigeria would be able reach the pickup point in time to avoid staying in Paris for the night.
Nigeria, which is playing in its third Olympics, opens play on Monday against Australia. Nigeria has the only win in Olympic history for an African nation when the team beat Korea in the 2004 Athens Games in the 11th-place contest.
See AP’s best photos from the 2024 Paris Olympics
A torchbearer carries the Olympic flame over a building along the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, Pool)
Ceremonial smoke in the colors of the France flag appear over the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Athletes travel by boat along the Seine River during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Lady Gaga performs in Paris, France, ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
A performer sits on a bridge in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Athletes from Spain travel by boat down the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
The Eiffel Tower gives backdrop to athletes riding on boats along the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, Pool)
Team Greece’s boat parades along the Seine river in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Visitors are seen on a bridge ahead of the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Zhang Yuwei/Pool Photo via AP)
Stephen Curry of the United States takes a photo prior to the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024.(Quinn Rooney/Photo Photo via AP)
Spectators wave French national flags while waiting at the Seine river front in Paris, France, for the start of opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Serena Williams arrives in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Athletes of Israel take a selfie aboard a boat in the floating parade on the Seine River in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Nir Elias/Pool Photo via AP)
The boat carrying the Olympic Refugee team makes its way down the Seine in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Spectators wait for the start of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Security patrol by boat in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Members of the United Arab Emirates security team patrol a square near the Louvre in Paris, France, ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Entertainers Ariana Grande, right, and Cynthia Erivo arrive in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend arrive with their children, Miles, foreground left and Luna in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Entertainer Ariana Grande arrives in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A torchbearer carries the Olympic flame over a building along the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, Pool)
A torchbearer carries the Olympic flame over a building along the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, Pool)
Ceremonial smoke in the colors of the France flag appear over the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Ceremonial smoke in the colors of the France flag appear over the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Athletes travel by boat along the Seine River during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Athletes travel by boat along the Seine River during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Lady Gaga performs in Paris, France, ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Lady Gaga performs in Paris, France, ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
A performer sits on a bridge in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A performer sits on a bridge in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Athletes from Spain travel by boat down the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Athletes from Spain travel by boat down the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
The Eiffel Tower gives backdrop to athletes riding on boats along the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, Pool)
The Eiffel Tower gives backdrop to athletes riding on boats along the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, Pool)
Team Greece’s boat parades along the Seine river in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Team Greece’s boat parades along the Seine river in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Visitors are seen on a bridge ahead of the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Zhang Yuwei/Pool Photo via AP)
Visitors are seen on a bridge ahead of the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Zhang Yuwei/Pool Photo via AP)
Stephen Curry of the United States takes a photo prior to the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024.(Quinn Rooney/Photo Photo via AP)
Stephen Curry of the United States takes a photo prior to the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024.(Quinn Rooney/Photo Photo via AP)
Spectators wave French national flags while waiting at the Seine river front in Paris, France, for the start of opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Spectators wave French national flags while waiting at the Seine river front in Paris, France, for the start of opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Serena Williams arrives in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Serena Williams arrives in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Athletes of Israel take a selfie aboard a boat in the floating parade on the Seine River in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Nir Elias/Pool Photo via AP)
Athletes of Israel take a selfie aboard a boat in the floating parade on the Seine River in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Nir Elias/Pool Photo via AP)
The boat carrying the Olympic Refugee team makes its way down the Seine in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
The boat carrying the Olympic Refugee team makes its way down the Seine in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Spectators wait for the start of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Spectators wait for the start of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Security patrol by boat in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Security patrol by boat in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Members of the United Arab Emirates security team patrol a square near the Louvre in Paris, France, ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Members of the United Arab Emirates security team patrol a square near the Louvre in Paris, France, ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Entertainers Ariana Grande, right, and Cynthia Erivo arrive in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Entertainers Ariana Grande, right, and Cynthia Erivo arrive in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend arrive with their children, Miles, foreground left and Luna in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend arrive with their children, Miles, foreground left and Luna in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Entertainer Ariana Grande arrives in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Entertainer Ariana Grande arrives in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games