(ATR) Tony Estanguet tells Around the Rings the Paris terror attacks have not dimmed public enthusiasm for the Olympics ahead of the first bid book submission.
The bid co-president said the attacks in Paris on Nov. 13 by gunmen and suicide bombers, which killed 130 people wounded hundreds, had not affected adversely public or governmental support in the last three months.
"Conversely it reinforces our determination to keep on working on the bid," Estanguet told ATR in Lillehammer at the Youth Olympics.
"The country was very shocked and more than ever we understand the power of sport to unite people. Solidarity will come with this bid."
The four 2024 candidate cities – Budapest, Los Angeles, Paris and Rome – will deliver detailed questionnaires covering ‘Vision, Games Concept and Strategy’ on Feb. 17, the first phase of the bid race.
The three-time Olympic canoeing champion said "a lot of work" had gone into the bid submission.
"We are happy with the results. Paris will come with a very, very strong concept," he promised. "It is very effective. We worked a lot since the last bid [2012] and we tried to improve the last bid book which was already received quite well."
On Wednesday, Paris 2024 will unveil its bid plan and overall Games concept to coincide with the bid dossier submission to the IOC.
Estanguet and co-chairman Bernard Lapasset will unveil Theme 1 of the IOC candidature file at the Philharmonie de Paris.
"It’s important to launch and to start to interact with the world of sport and French sports movement," Estanguet said. "There is a balance we have to find make sure the Games are successful for the country but will also serve the interests of the international sports movement."
Etienne Thobois told ATR that the launch of the logo last week gave the bid a visual identity that along with Wednesday’s launch would allow Paris 2024 to "share our project" and open it up for public consultation.
"It’s an important time," he said, adding that there was momentum behind the bid.
"We are exactly where we want to be. We have a strong team, experience and international… a great leadership and full support at all levels of government."
Thobois said the bid was gaining traction in the business world after the recruitment of a clutch of new partners, announced last week. Crucially, he said, "athletes are at the centre".
"We believe we have a very strong concept that really fits within the Agenda 2020 and really fits with the development of our city," he said.
With 19 months to go to the IOC vote on the 2024 host city in Peru, Thobois added: "We will need to listen and keep on improving and making that project more and more real."
Reported by Ed Hulain Lillehammer
Written byMark Bisson
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
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