Frenchy

Thanks for that. On the other hand the ioc need to treat bidders with greater respect, stop playing playground politics, eeny meeny minie moe or spin the bottle! Otherwise they are facing a bleak future where the only bidders will be repeat offenders (Tokyo), B & C listers (Istanbul), stalkers (Madrid) and oil rich countries with dubious reputations..... Not really what dreams are made of, n'est-ce pas?

I never said nor think that we have nothing to learn from others, I simply stated that we had nothing to learn from Coe and his band of merry men.... Besides, if the present French government runs the bidding process the way they're running the country then, yes, we are heading for a new defeat. ....which explains why many, over here, are wary of a 2024 Paris bid.

Hardly surprising. Her mentor, the outgoing mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanöe whom she hopes to replace, headed the Paris 2012 bidding team!

Again I fail to see what Coe could teach us that we don't already know. Lessons on how to dis the opposition perhaps!

T'as des lettres!! Personnellement je préfère Les Tontons Flingueurs !

I fail to see what they're hoping to gain or achieve on that trip. Little or nothing I guess.......

World Cup: FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce says no decision yet made on 2022 event http://www1.skysports.com/FIFA-World-Cup-2014/news/12016/9106470/world-cup-fifa-vice-president-jim-boyce-says-no-decision-yet-made-on-2022-event What a mess!!

You obviously weren't around in 2005...... http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/04/sports/04iht-OLY.html?_r=0

According to Jérôme Valcke the 2022 WC will be held in winter. http://www.foot01.com/foot-mondial/le-mondial-2022-decale-en-hiver-annonce-la-fifa,132859 http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/08/sport/football/valcke-qatar-world-cup-2022-football/

Link?

If I were Bach I wouldn't be building my hopes just yet. "There's many a slip twixt cup and lip"

"IOC boss backs new Paris bid for Olympics" http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ioc-boss-backs-paris-bid-olympics-220336192--oly.html But then again he equally stated a few d But then again he equally stated a few days earlier: http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/more-sports/ioc-president-thomas-bach-points-to-italy-and-us-bids-for-2024/story-fnii0hmo-1226767039494 Methinks he's looking for a rerun of the 2012 bid......

Paris, Monday 25th November 2013. Ten day after having having met with the three French IOC members, French president François Hollande held a meeting at the Elysée Palace with his sports minister Valérie Fourneyron, Denis Masseglia, president of the French NOC (CNOSF) and Bernard Lapasset head of the international French sports committee (CFSI). One of the subjects discussed was the possibility of a Paris bid for the 2024 SOG. No comments were made after the meeting…. (French speakers only) http://www.leparisien.fr/sports/la-candidature-de-paris-aux-jo-2024-discutee-a-l-elysee-25-11-2013-3348643.php

That article is just an extract from a much longer interview given in last Sunday’s ‘Journal du Dimanche’ (JDD). It’s been put online at the following page (for French speakers only!). http://www.lejdd.fr/recherche?query=Jean-Claude%20Killy I mentioned elsewhere the importance of domestic politics when presenting a bid and the statements made by Killy come as no surprise. He’s never hidden his right wing views and even sings Putin’s praise in that article brushing away any comments regarding the anti-gay laws in Russia. He’ll also be leaving the ioc after the 2014 WOGs at the ripe old age of 70. The fact that a winning bid could be presented at a time when the country is being run by a socialist government probably sticks in his throat. Hence the swipe. Then again, he’s got nothing to worry about as there will probably be no bid. One last remark. He claims that the French are perceived as, <yawn>, ‘arrogant’. Seeing as he’s one of the longest serving Frenchman at the ioc, he probably contributed to that image by his own attitude….and by this interview! I wish him a long and bile free retirement.

Revealed: Qatar's World Cup 'slaves' http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/25/revealed-qatars-world-cup-slaves

I know how you feel Pixie. I very well remember the grubby agreement Bliar had with the lecherous Berlusconi back in 2004/5 which gave way to the Jowellgate affair. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tessa_Jowell_financial_allegations Those two clowns will go down in history as the most despised post-war politicians in their respective countries. And the Brits would still have you believe that they played clean!! Still, if the games had to go to Europe sometime in the future Rome would be as good a place as any. I believe it’s one of the most stunning cities in the world………after Paris!

Oh dear. After having lost the Finnish vote, we are now going to lose the Japanese one!! http://www.euronews.com/2013/09/12/japan-anger-with-newspaper-le-canard-enchaine-over-fukushima-tokyo-2020-cartoon/

Saw this article the other day (in French): http://www.lefigaro.fr/jeux-olympiques/2013/07/05/02020-20130705ARTSPO00728-crise-ouverte-entre-la-ministre-des-sports-et-le-cnosf.php Basically, the French NOC (CNOSF) and the sports minister, Valérie Fourneyron, aren't speaking to each other any more. It's all down to public funding which is drying up and the setting up of a national sports council. Last July Denis Masseglia, head of the CNOSF, actually walked out of two meeting with the sports minister. Doesn't really bode well for the future. Does it?

I’m sure Italy will organize an extraordinary SOG in 2024 and wish them all the best. I look forward to travelling to Rome for the games.

Woa! Lads! Lads! Keep it cool! Keep it cool! Paris 2024 is really not worth fighting over Peace and Love, Peace and Love.......

Hi hektor, Gothic cathedrals and 18th century paintings are precisely what bring visitors to France in droves. Not astronautics. Anyway, last time I looked Kourou was in France not Holland. May I suggest you try reading this book. It's a bit dated but still topical: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sixty-Million-Frenchmen-Cant-Wrong/dp/1861057156 I’ll stop there because we both run the risk of seriously going off topic…..

Not forgetting, as I said earlier, the present political, economic and social climate.

Ah. The old « énarchie » debate! Bit of a chestnut, non? Then again, you may be right. But it’s not what lost us the 2012 bid. If you have time to spare (or waste! ) you might want to read the following books: http://www.amazon.fr/Jeux-perdus-Paris-2012-g%C3%A2ch%C3%A9/dp/2213628491 http://www.amazon.fr/JO-2012-Paris-perdu-Comment/dp/2748309456 http://www.amazon.fr/Malheureux-aux-jeux-lorganisation-Olympiques/dp/2916400001 I agree with your other post elsewhere, this ‘Paris 2024’ debate is slowly turning into an obsession for some.....

Nah! It's all water under the bridge. I, like other Parisians, have moved on.....

You rascal baron! You edited your poste and thought I hadn't seen you. Naughty.....