The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Bid Committee has confirmed that a high-level delegation will attend the 2016 SportAccord Convention in Lausanne, Switzerland next week – including Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.
The senior delegation will be led by bid co-chair Bernard Lapasset along with IOC member and Olympic Gold Medalist Guy Drut, and the Mayor.
Lapasset 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”.
Mayor 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 and 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”.
Paris’ rivals Budapest, Los Angeles and Rome will also be sending senior delegations to the event. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has implemented strict rules governing which events that bid committee delegations may attend in an official capacity. A small group from each bid is permitted to attend next week’s SportAccord Convention, but may not hold any organized meetings or promotional activities.
The SportAccord Convention is an annual gathering for International Sport Federations and other sport organizations and is considered the most important date on the sport business calendar.
