Topics: Olympics
Olympic organisers have been forced to issue a statement following claims Celine Dion is being paid $2m to sing just one song at the opening ceremony for the 2024 Games in Paris.
While the Games got underway earlier this week with the start of the men's and women's football and the rugby sevens, the formal beginning of the event will be marked by a spectacular opening ceremony on Friday.
This year it will be unusually held not in an Olympic stadium but on the banks of the River Seine in Paris and the Jardins du Trocadero.
As many as 300,000 spectators are expected to attend the ceremony, which will showcase the best of French and Parisian culture.
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Reports claim that pop superstars Celine Dion and Lady Gaga will perform a duet, with the pair believed to be singing Edith Piaf's 'La Vie en Rose'.
French president Emmanuel Macron commented this week on the rumours of French-Canadian singer Dion performing, while stopping short of confirming if they were true.
"Apparently she has arrived in Paris, it's great!" he told French television channel France 2.
"I would be immensely happy if she could be at this opening ceremony, like all our compatriots."
"I will not reveal anything, what [opening ceremony director] Thomas Jolly and all his teams have prepared", Macron added before cryptically commenting: "There is also a surprise."
Earlier this week, TMZ claimed Dion would receive a whopping $2m (£1.55m) fee to perform the song at the ceremony.
But organisers have now denied this is the case, insisting the Canadian won't be paid a single penny.
"Contrary to some media reports, the music artists who will be appearing at the Paris 2024 Games Ceremonies will not be paid a fee for their services," read a statement.
"Their decision to perform under these conditions reflects their desire to be part of a historic event for France, and for the world of sports.
"In addition, Paris 2024 will cover all technical production and performance organisation costs, as is customary.
"Paris 2024 would like to point out that 96 percent of the Organising Committee's budget is funded by private revenues and that no public contributions are used to pay the artistic teams."
