IOC president promises “spectacular” Paris Olympics, describes event as global symbol of hope

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International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach assured that the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris will be “spectacular,” describing the event as a global symbol of hope.

Bach made this statement on Monday at the opening of the IOC General Assembly, held at the Louis Vuitton Foundation’s private museum in Paris. He emphasized the unifying power of the Olympics.

“For billions, the Olympic Games are the only event that still brings the whole world together in peaceful competition,” Bach said.

Acknowledging the challenging global context, Bach noted, “Whenever you talk to people, everyone is fed up. People are fed up with all the hatred, aggression, killing, war, and confrontation.”

He highlighted the importance of Olympic values such as solidarity, equality, and human dignity, especially in these times.

The Summer Games in Paris will officially open on Friday, featuring athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and an IOC refugee team.

Bach projected a bright future for the Olympic Movement, stating that with the support of sponsors and media partners, the IOC has secured revenue totaling 7.3 billion dollars for the period from 2025 to the next Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2028, with an additional 6.2 billion dollars expected for the following four years.

Earlier on Monday, Olympic athletes called for peace during the inauguration of the Olympic Truce mural in the Olympic village. The athletes, representing all NOCs and the IOC refugee team, wore scarves and held flags with the slogan “Give peace a chance.”

Bach praised the athletes, saying, “You, the Olympic athletes, will show us how our world would be if we all lived in the same Olympic spirit of peaceful co-existence.”

He added, “You will compete fiercely against each other. At the same time, you are living peacefully together under one roof, here in the Olympic Village. You are respecting the same rules and most importantly you are respecting each other. In this way, you are sending a resounding message of peace from Paris to the world.”

Bach expressed his hope that this united call for peace would inspire political leaders globally to take action for peace.

The Olympic Truce mural, a tradition since the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, has been signed by thousands of athletes. The Olympic Truce, originally established in ancient Greece, was reintroduced in the 1990s, with the first United Nations-endorsed Olympic Truce occurring in 1993. The truce for the Paris Games and Paralympics was adopted last November.