By Sujit Jasani, from Paris, France, 16 April 2016: The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Bid Committee has confirmed its delegation to attend the 2016 SportAccord Convention in Lausanne, Switzerland next week.
The senior Paris 2024 delegation will be led by and include:
* Bid Co-Chairmen Bernard Lapasset, who is also Chairman of World Rugby, and IOC Member and three-time Olympic Gold Medallist, Tony Estanguet
* IOC Member and Olympic Gold Medallist, Guy Drut
* The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo
* President of the French National Olympic Committee, Denis Masseglia
* Bid Chief Executive and Badminton Olympian, Etienne Thobois
* Bid Sports Director and Olympic Silver Medallist, Jean-Philippe Gatien
* Olympic Bronze Medallist and World Champion in Athletics, Muriel Hurtis
Speaking about the visit to SportAccord, Bernard Lapasset, Co-Chairman of Paris 2024, said:
“We are delighted to be heading to SportAccord in Lausanne, home of the Olympic Movement. Our delegation highlights how Paris 2024 is led by our nation’s sporting figures and that the needs of athletes will be central to our plan for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2024.
“Our bid team is looking forward to engaging with International Sports Federations, listening and understanding the challenges and opportunities for their sport so we can enhance our city’s proposition and offer them the best possible platform for growth and development around the world.”
Tony Estanguet, Co-Chairman of Paris 2024, said:
“Paris is fully committed to hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games – it has been a long held dream for many years and our bid for 2024 is the city’s fourth since 1992. This is an expression of France’s dedication to promoting Olympism and the desire to place sport at the centre of our community life.
“With our historic landmarks and breath-taking locations, Paris can also offer incredible live settings and stunning broadcast pictures to showcase the great sporting action – helping the Olympic Movement and International Federations create a new generation of fans globally.”
The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, added:
“I look forward to meeting many members of the Olympic Family in Lausanne and it will be an honour to listen and learn and share our vision for the 2024 Games. Paris offers something special as a global city, iconic and modern, harnessing the power of innovation and with sport central to our whole city strategy.
“Parisians and people across France have a strong passion for all Olympic sports and we can guarantee International Federations that their Olympic events in 2024 in Paris will be staged in sold-out venues with enthusiastic and knowledgeable fans and a wonderful celebration of sport and its values.
“Paris 2024 is a bid that also has 100 per cent political support with strong and certain commitment from all levels of government – it is a city and national priority.”
Olympic Bronze Medallist and World Champion in Athletics, Muriel Hurtis, said:
“As an Olympian I know the importance of a Games Plan that is tailor-made for athletes and it is great that our bid is developing with hundreds of our athletes providing valuable input.
“Paris is my home and I was raised in the Saint-Denis area where the Olympic and Paralympic Village would be built. The area would benefit so much from this. Growing up there had its challenges but through the power of sport and the support of my local club and the Athletics federation, I was able to realise my dream to become a World Champion and an Olympian.
“I want more young people to have the same opportunity and the planned regeneration of Saint-Denis via the Games would be a real and amazing legacy of Paris 2024 and help re-energise this important district of our great city through sport.”
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