★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★
★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★
≡ THE BIG PICTURE ≡
French President Emmanuel Macron continues to savor the success of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, recalling the highlights in an interview posted Wednesday by Variety.
Asked to recall his favorite moment, he thought immediately of France’s triple gold medalist at the pool:
“I’m hesitating between Leon Marchand, when he won his two gold medals in two hours on the same day. It was incredible. He wasn’t the favorite. And in judo as well, when we got the gold medal for the team after this incredible finale with Japan with Teddy Riner.”
Naturally, the opening ceremony on the Seine River was recalled, but Macron was proudest of the overall success of the project:
“Our country managed to welcome the world in perfect security conditions, sharing our culture, heritage and art of living, along with our festive spirit. We’ve been able to do so with the boldness that characterizes us. It’s the best image we could project of our country.
“In Paris, we welcomed 1.7 million tourists during the first week of the Olympics, with very good prospects until the end of the summer for international visitors. Overall, the beautiful images of Paris and France during the Olympic Games will undoubtedly have a very positive impact in the short and medium term.”
Although he didn’t specifically mention it, Macron’s government managed to get through the Games even though he lost his majority in the National Assembly in snap elections held on 30 June and 7 July, just 19 days prior to the Games. His holdover ministers and staff didn’t miss a beat and the close coordination between the national government, regional and city governments and the Paris 2024 organizing committee was never frayed.
Macron was asked if he had advice for the Los Angeles 2028 organizers, which had a large contingent of staff in Paris to observe the Games:
“Oscar Wilde said something like, ‘Don’t try to be someone else. It’s already taken.’ We did something unique because we wanted to make something unique.
“So do your own Olympic Games. Don’t try to copy anything. Be creative. Be in line with your identity, your history, even your paradoxes. Be yourself.”
LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman has promised that the 2028 Games will be “authentically Los Angeles.”
Macron himself is not up for re-election until 2027, so he is returning to issues of business, politics with a new Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, and his role in the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
¶
The tug-of-war in Paris over the Olympic Rings and the Eiffel Tower continues, with a new tussle between Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and the woman she defeated in the 2020 Mayoral election, current Minister of Culture Rachida Dati.
As Minister of Culture, Dati is now advocating that the Eiffel Tower should be recognized with a higher degree of national protection, and seizing more control over the monument from the City of Paris, which owns it.
This drew a rebuke from Hidalgo, as well as the company which operates and maintains the tower – controlled by the City of Paris – which accused Dati of trying to use the Eiffel Tower “to further her political aims.”
The 30-ton Olympic Rings which were up during the Olympic and Paralympic Games have come down and are to be replaced with a lighter set, a better fit for remaining on the tower for a longer period.
¶
★ Receive our exclusive, weekday TSX Recap by e-mail by clicking here.
★ Sign up a friend to receive the TSX Recap by clicking here.
★ Please consider a donation here to keep this site going.
For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!
