With as many as 206 National Olympic Committees (NOC) in audience, the Paris 2024 bid delegation will be looking to make an impact at the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) General Assembly to be held in Doha next week.
The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Bid Committee has confirmed yesterday that a senior delegation will travel to Doha to listen, learn and gain valuable insight about how a Paris 2024 Games can best serve the NOCs and rest of the Olympic family.
French athletes, including London 2012 and Rio 2016 gold medallist judoka Teddy Riner, silver-winning boxer Sarah Ourahmoune and double Paralympic gold medallist David Smetanine, will lead the delegation.
During the ANOC General Assembly, the bid will also present its unique vision to deliver a thrilling and memorable Games that places Olympism, and Olympic and Paralympic sport firmly at the heart of everyday life in Paris and across France.
Also travelling to Doha will be bid co-chairman, IOC member and three-time Olympic gold medallist Tony Estanguet, bid co-chairman Bernard Lapasset, London silver medallist in basketball Emmeline NDongue, IOC member and Olympic gold medallist Guy Drut, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, bid chief executive and badminton Olympian Etienne Thobois, French Paralympic Committee president and Paralympic bronze medallist Emmanuelle Assmann, and French NOC president Denis Masseglia.
The Paris 2024 Games plan is centred on the athlete experience with athletes driving the bid in decision-making positions.
“We are delighted to be travelling to the ANOC General Assembly to underline our commitment to working with NOCs to deliver an outstanding Olympic and Paralympic experience in the City of Light in 2024. It is critical to build this project together sharing our common experiences and best practices,” Lapasset said.
“In the spirit of Olympic Agenda 2020, Paris 2024 will be the Games of passion and purpose, celebrating sport in the heart of a truly global city. We will count on NOCs to help us write together another glorious chapter in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements.”
Mayor Hidalgo added: “Our vision for the 2024 Games – which is completely aligned to the city’s long-term sports, economic, social and environmental strategies – is advancing very well, but it is important that we work with all Olympic stakeholders, including the NOCs, to deliver a Games that creates an environment of comfort and convenience that enables the athletes to compete at their very best.
“Paris is a vibrant, open and sharing city famous for sport, culture and a love of life. We are ready to welcome the world in 2024. Our bid has 100 percent cross-party political support across all levels of government from the President down and we are totally committed to working collaboratively to place sport and Olympism at the very heart of society in Paris and across France. A Paris Games will be a guaranteed success for the IOC: the Olympic flame will shine stronger after Paris 2024.”
Talking about her participation, boxer Ourahmoune said, “I am delighted to be here at the ANOC General Assembly representing all French Olympians and athletes’. Athletes are the heart and soul of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and this is why we are driving the bid – we know what it takes to compete at the highest level on the greatest sporting stage.
“Paris, with its 200 nationalities and with one in five residents born outside of France, is a cosmopolitan metropolis drenched in culture with an eclectic mix of tradition and innovation. The City of Light will provide a home away from home for all NOCs and their competing Olympic stars.”