French President Emmanuel Macron supports India as 2036 Olympics host, says 'strong believer in your country and the future'

SportsTak

UPDATED:Aug 12, 2024 23:47 IST

Neeraj Chopra in frame (Getty)

Highlights:

France's President Emmanuel Macron backed India to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

India has never hosted an Olympics.

France President Emmanuel Macron supports India in hosting the 2036 edition of the Summer Olympic Games. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally reported last year its goal to bid for the 2036 Olympics and Paralympics by calling it a 'dream for 140 crore countrymen'. The Union Government and the State Government of Gujarat have reserved Rs 6000 crore on many projects to build a great sporting infrastructure in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar for the bid to host the biggest sporting extravaganza in the world.,

Emmanuel Macron on India hosting the 2036 Olympics

"First of all, I’m strong believer in your country and the future of your country and what you can build and your capacity to organize such events," the French President told Jio Cinema.

"I think this is a fierce competition. First, you should not underestimate the fact and I do remember seven years ago when I went to Lausanne, we did compete with the US at that time, Los Angeles. And we found this agreement and at the end, it was and it is still a great cooperation. So, competing in itself is clearly a great preparation," he added.

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Macron also talked about how France and India worked together to get ready for the Olympics. He mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked France to send a technical team to help with the preparations. Indian officials have been embedded with French teams to learn from them. Macron communicated his longing to see this expertise and innovation moved to help India's possible bid for the Olympics.

"Second, we did work and we are working with India. Prime Minister Modi asked me to send a technical team here, and you have some Indian people embedded with our teams in the preparation of the Olympics. And if we can transfer the know-how and the technology, it would be great," Macron said.

A number of nations, including Egypt and India, have submitted bids for the 2036 Olympics. It is being viewed as a major power move by both countries as they attempt to develop their sporting culture. India and Egypt have never hosted an Olympics.

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