‘I’m a Strong Believer in India’: France President Emmanuel Macron Backs India to Host

French President Emmanuel Macron shed light on France and India’s collaboration, India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympics, and what learnings can be shared after Paris 2024, sharing his insight and support to India for the same.

“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,” stated Macron to JioCinema.

“Competing is in itself a great preparation. 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. 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,” exclaimed Macron.

Just weeks before the Olympics, snap elections called by President Emmanuel Macron plunged the country into a political crisis.

Macron, who is yet to appoint a new prime minister, said on Monday that the Olympics had shown the world “the true face of France”.

“We don’t want life to get back to normal,” he said.

Le Monde newspaper said the Games had “offered the capital and the entire country more than two weeks of fervour and happiness.”

“For 17 days the stereotype of the indifferent, grumpy Frenchman went missing,” said sports writer Owen Slot in The Times newspaper, adding that Paris had “made the Olympic Games look more beautiful than ever before”.

Macron further emphasized the importance of unity in order to ensure the smooth operation.

“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,” Macron said.

“You have to dream big and deliver big and your country has the capacity to do so.”

(with agency inputs)