There are concerns within the French Army that they may be called upon at the last minute to provide security at Paris 2024 ©Getty Images

Concerns over security for next year's Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris have been raised by the French Army, who fear who they will be called upon at the last moment in a scenario similar to what happened before London 2012.

Paris 2024 organisers have estimated that an average of 17,000 security personnel will be needed per day during the Games, with a peak of 22,000.

Local Organising Committee officials claim that they are on course to recruit the required number of security workers. 

Members of the military in France are concerned about the potential for a last-minute emergency.

A similar situation occurred before the 2012 Olympic Games in London, when the British Army, Navy and Royal Air Force had to be called upon provide personnel to secure the event private company G4S fell short of the number of staff they had promised.

Members of the British armed forces needed to be called in at the last minute for London 2012 after private security company G4S failed to recruit enough staff ©Getty Images
Members of the British armed forces needed to be called in at the last minute for London 2012 after private security company G4S failed to recruit enough staff ©Getty Images

"We are on schedule," Thomas Collomb, head of security for Paris 2024, said.

But an Army source has raised serious doubts that enough recruits will be employed and trained in time for Paris 2024. 

"We're worried that private security will not meet requirements," they told French newspaper Le Monde. 

"The question is whether this failure will be massive or partial.

"We can no longer hide."

The French Army currently has 118,600 active personnel and 23,000 reserves.

In addition, the French Air Force and French Navy have 77,000 personnel.

Paris 2024 is currently trying to find private companies to help with security during the Olympic and Paralympic Games ©Getty Images
Paris 2024 is currently trying to find private companies to help with security during the Olympic and Paralympic Games ©Getty Images

Last week, the Organising Committee revealed the outcomes of the call for tenders that was initiated in April 2020 among security contractors.

Either because of a lack of applicants - or because the candidates did not provide sufficient guarantees - only 28 providers were selected.

Among these companies, mostly medium-sized French businesses, a third are event specialists and the others are general security companies.

The results from the second round held in December 2022 are still pending.A third round is expected to be initiated this month, which will mean the full picture is unlikely to be evident until the end of this year.