IOC Evaluation Commission kicks off three-day inspection in Paris for Olympics bid

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Evaluation Commission delegation on Sunday kicked off their three-day inspection to get a better understanding of the French capital's preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games bid.

The 11-member delegation, led by Evaluation Commission president Patrick Baumann, held a closed-door meeting with the Paris bid committee.

"Paris is a special city. You have proposed the Games that would be made to share with the entire world, and we look forward to understanding it even more on how you planned to do that," said Baumann in an opening remark ahead of the meeting.

"Over the next three days, my colleagues and I look forward to discussing with you and helping you make your proposal an even better one for the presentation to our colleagues, the IOC members in July and September," he added.

Representatives from the city of Paris and the Paris bid, athletes and entrepreneurs were involved in three separate media briefings to illustrate the positive impact that the Olympic Games would have on the city.

"We have one goal during these few days, which is to convince you that Paris is the right city with the right vision at the right moment," said the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo to the delegation members.

"It has made our bid stronger and we know that our engagement with you over the next three days will make it stronger still.

"We, all of us, share the same ambition: Games that will unite, inspire and ultimately help to build a better world through sport. We are going to share our vision based on three components: passion, purpose and engagement," said Tony Estanguet, co-president of the Paris bid committee and three-time Olympic champion.

The Paris bid got a huge boost from Emmanuel Macron, who takes office as the new President of France on Sunday, for his support from the very beginning.

According to Estanguet, Macron looks forward to meeting and working closely with the IOC delegation in the latter's visit to Paris, while no clear time has been set yet.

"Imagine beach volleyball and triathlon at the Eiffel Tower, archery at Les Invalide, fencing and taekwondo in the Grand Palais. Now, stop imagining, because it's real. Paris 2024 is already underway," he said.

The Evaluation Commission delegation is scheduled to visit some proposed venues or iconic backdrops for the 2024 Games, including the Eiffel Tower, Roland Garros and the Stade de France, next Monday.

Paris and Los Angeles, the other remaining candidate city for the world's largest quadrennial sporting event, have entered a crucial phase ahead of their presentations to IOC members in Lausanne, Switzerland in July. The delegation just wrapped up their four-day visit to Los Angeles before arriving in Paris.

The IOC members will vote for the host city of 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Lima, Peru on September 13. Neither of the two cities has put the 2028 Games in its radar, which the IOC also took into its consideration to award each of the two Games to two cities respectively, an effort to avoid leaving the other as a loser. Endit