Dion's presence in Paris 'not a coincidence,' says French minister

PARIS — Céline Dion's presence in Paris a few days ahead of the Olympic Games opening ceremony is "not a coincidence," the French government says.

The country's sports minister, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, made the comments Wednesday during an interview with French television network TF1, amid a frenzy of speculation about the Canadian superstar's arrival in the French capital.

“You've seen that she was in Paris, it’s not a coincidence,” said Oudéa-Castéra, all smiles, on the set of the show “Bonjour la matinale."

“Now, there are a multitude of possible roles in an opening ceremony.”

But Oudéa-Castéra refused to go further, adding that "the element of surprise is essential." The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics will take place Friday.

On Tuesday, images began circulating on social media showing Dion greeting fans in the streets of the French capital, and American media outlet TMZ reported that the Quebec singer would perform a song during the opening ceremony. Dion hasn't performed publicly since revealing her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome in December 2022.

The singer documented her trip to Paris on Wednesday with photos of her visit to the Louvre Museum.

“Every time I return to Paris, I remember there’s so much beauty and joy still to experience in the world," she wrote on Instagram. "I love Paris, and I’m so happy to be back! Thank you to our wonderful friends at The Louvre!"

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2024.