Brazilian soccer legend Zico robbed of $540,000 at Paris Olympics

Thieves steal Zico's Rolex, diamond necklace, and cash as he arrives in Paris for the Olympics.

Brazilian soccer icon Zico has reportedly been robbed of items worth $540,000 upon his arrival in Paris for the Olympics. 

According to French media, the 71-year-old was targeted by robbers who made off with a briefcase containing a flashy Rolex, a diamond necklace, and a substantial sum of euros in cash. 

The incident occurred while Zico was hailing a cab outside his hotel in Paris's 19th district.

Zico, a former star for Brazil's national team, was in Paris as part of the Brazilian Olympic Committee's entourage. 

Following the theft, authorities launched a police investigation. 

Le Parisien reported that the crime involved a duo, with one robber distracting Zico while the other swiped the briefcase.

In a separate incident, French authorities are searching for culprits behind a "malicious" railway sabotage that occurred just hours before the Olympic opening ceremony. 

Officials warn that those responsible could face a $190,000 (€150,000) fine and potential jail time after snipping cables on key intercity routes under the cover of darkness. 

The disruption is expected to affect up to 800,000 passengers over the weekend.

Major train services, including the Eurostar, were disrupted by what France's SNCF described as deliberate arson attacks. 

While there is no clear evidence linking the rail chaos to the Olympics, SNCF reported significant damage to its Atlantic, North, and East networks due to vandalism. 

An attempted sabotage in the South-East was thwarted. 

Transport minister Patrice Vergriete condemned the actions on social media: "Co-ordinated malicious acts targeted several TGV lines last night and will seriously disrupt traffic until this weekend."

"I strongly condemn these criminal actions which will compromise the departures on vacation of many French people. A big thank you to the #SNCF teams, on deck to restore traffic conditions as quickly as possible."