On the 23rd of January, French President Emmanuel Macron visited the National Institute of Sport and Performance (INSEP), with the goal to inspire the Olympians, telling them he has every faith that France will reach the top five in the Olympic medal table, though emphasised he wasn’t there to add to the already surmounting pressure, even though it is forecasted that this would be the best games for France since 1900. The French leader told coaches and athletes,
It’s about willpower. It’s about being more hungry than the others. You are, aren’t you? You’d better be! You don’t have a choice. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, at home, in front of a home crowd.
Head Coach of the French women’s team, Christophe MASSINA stated,
He said he’d come and see us at the Olympics. It was great that the president came to see us. Especially since he only came to see the judo girls.
Over the course of the Paris Olympics from July 26th to August 11th, and the Paralympics from August 28th to September 8th, France will have a record delegation of about 800 athletes.
The French president listed security, public transportation and accessibility as top challenges for the Paris Olympics. Adding that 30,000 police officers will be deployed daily, as well as an addition of 15,000 soldiers from the military, noting that up to 500,000 are expected to attend the opening ceremony on the banks and surroundings of the River Seine.
After covering the challenges that he is aware they will face, Macron confidently stated that the Paris Games will be the ‘greenest ever’, compatible with the Paris Agreement.
Feature image: © Laurent Blevennec / Présidence de la République.
Author: Thea Cowen