(ATR) Bid leaders will be hoping the IOC has saved some superlatives for the French Olympic bid.
The IOC Evaluation Commission led by Patrick Baumann touched down in the French capital Saturday after singing the praises of the Los Angeles bid yesterday.
Baumann labeled LA 2024’s venues "impressive, mind blowing, incredible" at the conclusion of three days of intense scrutiny of all aspects of the U.S. bid.
Now it’s the turn of Paris.
The IOC commission begins its assessment on Sunday – on the day Emmanuel Macron succeeds Francois Hollande as French president. Baumann’s team is without Gunilla Lindberg of Sweden and Japan’s Tsunekazu Takeda who miss the visit due to illness.
Macron reaffirmed his backing for the Paris bid in a phone call with IOC president Thomas Bach on Thursday. He expressed his "attachment to the Paris 2024 project and emphasized France's longstanding commitment to the Olympic movement".
Macron could play a star role when he meets the commission, adding to the bid’s persuasive case for staging the 2024 Olympics. Hollande and former French president Nicholas Sarkozy are also on hand. They are set to attend a dinner with the IOC commission on Sunday evening.
In closed-door meetings with the IOC experts, bid co-chairman Tony Estanguet, who has shown impressive leadership qualities in recent months, will be a key figure alongside co-leader Bernard Lapasset and CEO Etienne Thobois.
Bidding for a fourth time to host the Games after staging the 1924 Olympics, officials will position the French bid as a more traditional offering with strong legacy credentials – a showcase of sport staged in stunning venues with iconic backdrops.
Paris says it is 95 percent ready to host the Games. But it has more to build than Los Angeles – an aquatics centre and an Olympic Village.
The IOC will note the differences on their venue and site tour taking up much of Monday, which will include visits to the Champs Elysées, Eiffel Tower and the Grand Palais. This will follow a day of briefings.
The IOC’s wrap-up press conference is scheduled for 12:30pm CET on Tuesday. Paris 2024 bid leaders will then give their verdict on the IOC inspection in a separate briefing.
Reported by Mark Bisson
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