French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach Monday after the revelation that rival Los Angeles has decided to host the 2028 edition of the Games instead – leaving the 2024 Games for France.
Though a rubber-stamping of the deal is still required by Los Angeles City Council, followed by an IOC Member vote to approve both bids for their respective editions on September 13 – Macron remains committed to the bid until the deal is officially signed.
A communiqué issued by the Presidency of the Republic Tuesday said “Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic, spoke to Mr Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), on Monday 31 July.
“France officially noted Los Angeles’ decision to put forward its candidature for 2028 and reach an agreement with the IOC and Paris.
“President Emmanuel Macron welcomes this very important step towards securing the Games for France in 2024 and remains highly committed, alongside all French people, sportsmen and women, local authorities and every partner involved in our country’s bid, to making the bid win.”
LA Mayor Eric Garcetti said during a press conference Monday that he had kept in touch with Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo over the weekend by exchanging texts.
Macron met personally with Bach in Lausanne, Switzerland July 11 prior to joining the Paris bid delegation in a technical briefing and presentation for IOC members. He had previously met with the 2024 IOC Bid Evaluation Commission team in Paris just hours after his Presidential inauguration in May, and has remained the primary voice of the bid since.
The President has said that he will travel to Lima, Peru where the IOC will be holding its all-members Session and were previously expected to view final bid presentations and vote for the winning host city. With the IOC instead deciding to award both the 2024 and 2028 edition of the Games without contest, the trip – if he still travels – may only be for a contract-signing photo opportunity.
The IOC has yet to officially announce how the Session agenda may change, or if the presentations will be required or expected by the bids.
LA 2028 bid Chair Casey Wasserman indicated that U.S. President Donald Trump has been a strong partner in his bid saying “since his election, President Trump has been personally involved in helping to make LA’s bid a truly American bid.”
Trump met with Bach at the White House in June, but the U.S. President isn’t expected to attend the awarding of the Games in Lima.
