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Eye-watering menu prices at Paris Olympics revealed as beer banned

Olympic fans attending the live action in Paris are in for a rude shock when they look up at the menus with one item banned from being sold.

Menu prices at the Paris Olympics
Menu prices at the Paris Olympics

Olympics fans are being charged $13 for less than a pint of beer - and it doesn’t even contain alcohol.

The opening day of sport got underway on Wednesday (AEST), with the Stade de France staging the rugby sevens.

And that gave ticket holders their first chance to catch the action at the Paris 2024 Games.

However, those hoping to enjoy a pint of regular beer will be left disappointed, because the Games are not selling alcoholic drinks at any of their venues.

That is because of a 1991 French law that bans the sale of alcohol in stadiums unless it is served with a meal - meaning only those splashing the cash to be in VIP hospitality areas can get a beer while watching the Olympics action unfold.

Instead, it is 500ml of 1664 0% - aka alcohol-free Kronenbourg - on offer for punters, costing $AUD13.

Tourtel Twist’s 0% 400ml beer with lemon costs $10.

No beer in the stands at the Olympics
No beer in the stands at the Olympics

For 500ml fizzy drinks, fans are being charged $8.24 with 500ml bottles of water costing $5.80.

Elsewhere, the most expensive food at the vendors outside the stadium is a cheeseburger at $18.10.

Hot dogs are $15.65, followed by chicken sandwiches and mozzarella ciabattas $14 and egg muffins $13.18.

Popcorn $7.41, 40g packets of chips is $6.60 and french fries $5.7 complete the menu outside the Stade de France.

Sorry fans, no beer in the stands. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Sorry fans, no beer in the stands. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

While the menu prices raised eyebrows, it was chaos on the pitch during the opening day of action as Morocco beat Argentina 2-1.

The win came only after a late equaliser for the South American side was disallowed and the final minutes were played out in an empty stadium following crowd trouble.

It took more than two hours after the late goal was scored before it was sensationally denied by the VAR.

Argentina thought they had escaped from the Group B match in Saint-Etienne with a 2-2 draw when Cristian Medina scored in the 16th minute of added time.

But as their players celebrated, projectiles including bottles and plastic cups rained down from the stands and several spectators entered the pitch, with the referee promptly blowing the whistle.

The teams left the playing area, but the referee had not blown for full-time and the outcome of the match was completely unclear until the sides finally reappeared two hours later to play out three more minutes in a stadium that was by now emptied of spectators.

Medina’s goal was eventually disallowed for offside following a VAR review, and Morocco held on to claim all three points.

Originally published as Eye-watering menu prices at Paris Olympics revealed as beer banned

Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/olympics/eyewatering-menu-prices-at-paris-olympics-revealed-as-beer-banned/news-story/ebb89b58285f176bd445a247c687e26e