PARIS FAILED TO WIN 2012 OLMYPICS

 

2012 Summer Olympic Games
27 July to 12 August followed by
Paralympics from 29 August to 9 September
to be held in London, England

PARIS LOSES OUT TO LONDON

Throughout the bidding period, Paris maintained its position as favourite of the candidate cities to win the honour of hosting the 2012 Olympic Games.

Many famous buildings and bridges throughout Paris were decorated and illuminated in Olympic 2012 themes.

Although the games were last held in Paris in 1924, having also bid for the 2008 Olympics, Paris had very recent experience of just what the Olympic Organisers are looking for. This, combined with the hosting of the World Cup Football in 1998 and the World Athletics Championships in 2003, helped to put them ahead of their rivals in the bidding war.

Many of the facilities and stadium were already in place in Paris and the only major construction required was the Olympic Village to house the athletes. The plan was for the village to be built on a disused site in the city within easy reach of most of the Olympic venues. Paris already has a sophisticated transport network throughout the city which only needed minor adjustments and refinements to efficiently carry the vast number of people either involved in or visiting the Olympics.

Being a major tourist attraction in its own right, Paris has no shortage of hotel accommodation.

In spite of a national strike taking place during the crucial visit of the Olympic inspection team, Paris was confident as it looked forward with anticipation to the decision being announced in the summer of 2005 in SINGAPORE.

HOWEVER, ON THE DAY, IT WAS LONDON THAT TRIUMPHED. AS CITY AFTER CITY WAS ELIMINATED IT WAS A CLOSE FOUGHT FINAL CONTEST BETWEEN PARIS AND LONDON WITH PARIS BEING PIPPED TO THE POST.