AFP reports France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy said Monday France is backing Rio 2016’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
During a joint news conference with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia where Sarkozy was attending Brazil’s Independence Day Celebrations, the French President said, “France supports Rio’s candidacy for 2016. All our votes are yours, and we hope it happens. It would be great for Brazil and Latin America”.
Sarkozy then reportedly joked, “and in the event that it won’t compete with Brazil’s ski resorts, we hope we’ll get your support for (the French Alpine city of ) Annecy for the 2018 Winter Games”.
In an interview with AFP last week Lula said he had made a deal with Spain’s King Juan Carlos for mutual support in the IOC’s voting rounds. He reportedly said, “we made a deal: if Brazil isn’t in the second round, it can support Spain, but if Spain isn’t in, it votes for Brazil. It’s an honest game”.
