Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), released a message at the end of the year in which he wished that the next Olympic Games in Paris 2024 be a “symbol of unity and world peace”.
The German leader recalled that the Olympic year will begin with the Gangwon Youth Winter Games 2024 and welcomed a “new generation of athletes”, while asking to remain united in search of “making the world a better place through sport”.
In his message, Bach focused on Paris 2024 and the challenge that it will be to hold the Olympic Games in a world full of conflicts: “We have to oppose efforts to fragment world sport along political lines, and we must unite to defend the unifying power of sport”.
In its objective of keeping athletes out of the decisions of their governments and not discriminating on the basis of their passports, the International Olympic Committee decided that athletes from Russia and Belarus can be present in Paris 2024 as neutrals and individually.
“Our expectations for these Olympic Games are shared by billions of people. In these difficult times that we are living in, people everywhere are exhausted and tired of all the antagonism, hostility, hatred they face in all areas of their lives... Deep in our hearts, we all yearn for something unifying. Something that unites us, despite the differences we have. Something that gives us hope. Something that inspires us to address problems peacefully. Something that brings out the best in us. We hope that the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will unite the entire world in a peaceful competition,” said Bach.
Bach also referred to Paris as the beginning of a “new era” in the Olympic Games and highlighted: “Younger, more inclusive, more urban, more sustainable. The first with full gender parity”.
The IOC president also thanked the United Nations General Assembly for approving the Olympic Truce Resolution for Paris and considered it “a remarkable show of unity in these times of division”. He added: “We are very grateful for this strong global support. At the same time, all the great expectations for Paris mean a great responsibility for all of us: the responsibility to live up to these expectations.”
On the other hand, Bach reiterated that the IOC is analyzing the creation of the Esports Olympic Games; he stated that they intend to support athletes and promote the development of the sport through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and assured that “the digital revolution offers us enormous opportunities”.
Finally, Bach said that there is nothing better than Paris, the city where “our founder” Pierre de Coubertin was born, to “celebrate this true Olympic spirit” and anticipated that the French capital will be part of “an unforgettable celebration of the joy of sport”.
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