Olympics

Dutch volleyball star Steven van de Velde, a convicted child rapist, is slated to compete in the Paris Olympics this week ... and the IOC is now facing serious pressure to investigate how he was able to be included in the Games despite his disgraced past.

Van de Velde allegedly raped a 12-year-old back in 2014 -- when he was 19. Authorities claimed he initially met the girl online -- and then flew from Amsterdam to London a short time later to have sexual relations with her -- this despite him being aware of her age. In 2016, he was convicted of rape and sentenced to four years in prison.

However, after serving 12 months behind bars in Britain, he was transferred to the Netherlands, where he was resentenced. Roughly a month later, he was released. Following his time served, he told a local media outlet he was not a pedophile.

Getting drunk and bragging about causing chaos at the 2024 Paris Olympics is a pretty dumb move for an alleged Russian spy -- but French cops say that's exactly what happened before they arrested the guy!

Police in the French capital hauled away 40-year-old Kirill Gryaznov from his apartment after he popped up on the radar of European intel officers who were keeping a close eye on him for months, according to French outlet Le Monde.

Gryaznov had been kicked off a flight from Istanbul to Paris back in May, reportedly because he was totally wasted.

Celine Dion certainly knows the power of love ...reveling in the adoration she's getting from fans as she returns to the spotlight -- people were eating it up ahead of her Olympics gig.

The singer, who's set to perform with Lady Gaga at the opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics, received the warmest of welcomes from fans Thursday night in the City of Lights.

CD was decked out in full Dior ... and greeted with screams and chants as she left her hotel. The singer blew kisses to the crowd and took a few photos.

Thousands of travelers looking to get to Paris ahead of the start of the Olympics have been stranded ... after French officials say railways in the country have been hit by a series of coordinated arson attacks.

According to the SNCF -- the organizer of France’s high-speed train network -- the "malicious acts" took place overnight Thursday ... and appeared to be a planned "massive attack" by people who had the goal of crippling public transportation just hours before the Games' Opening Ceremony goes down in Paris later Friday.

So far, authorities don't seem to have any leads on suspects ... although the public prosecutor's office said it's launched an investigation.

Snoop Dogg's blazin' in Paris ... or, at least his left hand was -- 'cause the dude carried the Olympic flame Thursday marking a huge moment for himself and hip hop culture.

The rapper carried the torch through the northern Parisian suburb Saint-Denis ... and check out the pics 'cause Snoop looks like one proud pup while doing his part to get the flame to its final destination.

Snoop -- clad in an all-white tracksuit with "Paris 2024" and the Olympic rings splayed across the back -- waves to the crowd during his portion of the jaunt, staring at the torch in awe.

With an influx of visitors heading to Paris for the 2024 Olympics, French police are cracking down on prostitution ... and we've learned an anti-pimping brigade is even leading the charge.

The Press Office for the Police Prefecture tells TMZ ... authorities are doing what they can to combat illegal sex work in the City of Lights. We're told checkpoints and other road operations are targeted to try and put a stop to pimping in the Bois de Vincennes, Bois de Boulogne and Belleville sectors.

A formal brigade -- known as the BRP -- has even formed ... and we're told they will make their presence seriously known in the area. There is also a group in charge of surveilling night establishments, such as cabarets ... where anti-sex work laws will be reinforced.

Flavor Flav says as soon as Snoop Dogg emerges in Paris with the Olympic torch in hand on Friday -- no one in the hip hop community will ever forget it ... explaining this week it'll be "a very, very big moment for rap music history."

Flav, of course, will get to see it all go down in person ... as he made the trip to France this month as part of his role as the official sponsor of the USA women's water polo team.

He told Charlie Neff and Towanda Robinson on "The TMZ Podcast" that watching Snoop with the flame is actually the "main thing" he's "really, really" looking forward to in the buildup to the Paris Games -- because he thinks people will be talking about it decades from now.

Celine Dion is in France for her big comeback, Jennifer Aniston is beefing with J.D. Vance and Tom Brady is NOT dating a swimsuit model ... all this on today's TMZ TV Hot Takes.

First up on "TMZ Live," Harvey and Charles look at Celine's warm welcome in Paris, where she is set to perform for the first time in years ... kicking off the opening ceremonies for the Paris Olympics.

Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci was only 14 years old when she skyrocketed to stardom after becoming the first gymnast to score a perfect 10.0 at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.

In addition to her perfect-scoring status, the gymnastics icon scored six MORE perfect 10s and grabbed 3 gold medals. To no surprise -- but extremely difficult to do so -- she qualified for her 2nd games in 1980, taking 2 more gold medals and two 10.0s back to Romania.

Today, she's still recognized and respected as a gymnastics legend and continues to use her platform for leadership roles.

The Olympics red carpet in Paris is glittering, and it ain't the shine off the metals 'cause those haven't been won yet ... it's all the superstars twinkling at a pre-Olympics event.

Some of the biggest athletes and entertainers in the world -- from LeBron James to Serena Williams to Snoop Dogg and everyone in between -- pulled up to the Prelude to the Olympics ... a star-studded party open cohosted by some of the world's most powerful people before Olympic Opening Ceremonies kick off tomorrow.

Two blonde Hollywood bombshells -- Charlize Theron and Elizabeth Banks -- hit the red carpet in a couple fabulous dresses ... CT looked angelic in all white while EB pulled off a black cocktail dress with a blue accessory draping down from her hip.

Great sign for Team USA Gymnastics ... Simone Biles just crushed the most difficult vault in existence during Olympic practice on Thursday -- and she made it look easy!!

The four-time gold medalist participated in the Red, White and Blue's practice sesh ahead of the 2024 Paris Games ... and based on the footage of the run-through, the rest of the world is in big trouble.

Biles went through the floor and beam routines ... but when it came to the vault, she did a Yurchenko Double Pike (AKA Biles II) -- which is when someone does a back handspring onto the springboard and follows up with two backflips in a straight-leg pike.

Caitlin Clark clearly ain't all that upset about missing out on the Paris Olympics ... check out how she looked on Wednesday -- the only thing she was sweatin' was the sweet Mexican sun!

The 22-year-old sharpshooter -- who just missed the cut last month for the Team USA Olympic roster -- headed south this week with a few of her Indiana Fever teammates to get some much-needed R&R as the WNBA put a pause on its season for the Games.

Clark, Lexie Hull and Katie Lou Samuelson all jetted off to Cabo ... and as you can see, it wasn't long before the ladies threw on bikinis and hit the water.

Celine Dion returned to her hotel after a marathon day of Olympic rehearsals in Paris to find a surprise concert of her own -- courtesy of her fans singing and cheering for her one day before her grand stage comeback.

Check out the vid ... the singer had her hand over her heart as she took in the unexpected serenade before heading indoors in the early hours of Thursday.

Celine was rocking a stunning black dress with her hair pulled back in a bun, showing off that big, dazzling smile as she watched the crowd do her thing.

Celine Dion will be teaming up with Lady Gaga to perform Édith Piaf’s classic "La Vie en Rose" at the Olympics' opening ceremony in Paris Friday ... TMZ has confirmed.

Thierry Moreau reported on X Wednesday ... Celine will be decked out in Dior, rocking a pink and black feather cape.

Gaga’s no stranger to "La Vie en Rose," having sung it in her 2018 movie "A Star Is Born."