Emmanuel Macron Highlights France-India Collaboration and Unity's Role in Hosting the Olympics

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In an exclusive interview with JioCinema and Sports18, French President Emmanuel Macron shared valuable insights on the future of Olympic Games and the strengthening bond between France and India.

His discussion covered India's bid to host the 2036 Olympics, the learnings from the Paris 2024 Games, and the essential elements required for successfully organizing such a monumental event.

Macron expressed strong support for India's Olympic ambitions, emphasizing his belief in the country's potential and organizational capacity. He remarked, "I'm a strong believer in your country and its future, what you can build and your capacity to organise such events. I think this is a fierce competition and you shouldn't underestimate it."

Reflecting on his experience from seven years ago, Macron recalled the competitive spirit of the bidding process. "I remember seven years ago, when I went to Lausanne, we competed with the US at the time and we found this agreement and at the end, it is still a great cooperation. Competing is in itself a great preparation."

The French President highlighted the ongoing collaboration between France and India, noting the technical support provided to ensure a successful Paris 2024. Macron stated, "Second, we did work and will continue to work with India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked me to send a technical team here, and you have some Indians embedded with our teams for the preparation of this Olympic Games and during it. If we can transfer the know-how and the technology, it would be great."

He further acknowledged the involvement of French companies in the Olympic preparation, which will also contribute to future events, saying, "Third, we have a lot of companies involved in the events, equipments, and so on, which have learned a lot during these Games. They will be a part of Los Angeles. They will be a part of Brisbane. I'll be delighted if they could be a part of an Indian candidature for the Olympics in India."

Macron also stressed the significance of unity in organizing the Olympics. According to him, successful Olympic planning requires a cohesive team, which includes athletes, Olympic Committees, local communities, and the government. "For me, what is key to organise the Olympics is unity. You need your sportspeople, your Olympic Committee, local communities and constituencies, and obviously the State, and all the different people from security to organisation. This is the unity of the team."

Stability and persistence are crucial, as Macron explained through the example of the Seine River project. He emphasized, "Second, you also need stability because during the past seven years, it's been almost the same team and people involved. This is a huge investment. We spoke about the Seine River; you tested it here. A lot of people told us it's impossible, just forget it. No, we stuck to our commitment and decided to go to the end. Stability and capacity to go to the end."

Finally, Macron highlighted the importance of audacity in Olympic planning. He urged aspiring hosts to "dream big and deliver big," recognizing India's capacity to achieve such ambitions. "Audacity, I think it's very important because in this new phase, you have to dream big and deliver big and your country has the capacity to do so."

The insights shared by President Macron underscore the critical elements of successful Olympic organization and reflect the strong collaborative spirit between France and India. His remarks provide a roadmap for future Olympic hosts and reinforce the importance of preparation, unity, stability, and bold vision in achieving success.