Paris 2024 Olympic dream takes shape
Authorities in Paris have given their backing to the possibility of staging the 2024 Games in the French capital.
Issued on: Modified:
Paris drew a step closer to becoming a candidate to host the 2024 Olympics on Monday when councillors at the city's governing body said they backed a bid.
Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, said: "Now we're off on an Olympic adventure."
President Francois Hollande says he supports the idea of the city as the stage for the games.
He is due to meet International Olympic Committee (IOC) head Thomas Bach in Lausanne on Thursday during an official visit to Switzerland.
A feasibility study has mooted the idea of beach volleyball in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, archery on the Invalides Esplanade near the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte and fencing in the Grand Palais museum.
The Stade de France that held football's 1998 World Cup final and Roland Garros, the venue for the French Open tennis, would also be used.
With so many existing venues on the draft plan, only a new swimming pool and a village for the 10,000 athletes would have to be built.
Hidalgo was initially reluctant to back another bid after two failures. But she said that the feasibility study and the likely contribution of 1.8 billion euros from the IOC made her change her mind.
The approval of Paris's central town hall is a significant step towards France launching a bid to host the games. The ultimate green light must be given by the country's Olympic Committee.
Olympic bids must be submitted to the IOC by 15 September and a shortlist of qualified candidates will be announced in 2016. A final decision will be taken by an IOC congress in Lima, Peru in mid-2017.
So far Boston and Rome have officially declared their desire to be hosts. Hamburg in Germany is soon expected to follow suit.
If the French capital were to win, the Games would be held on the 100th anniversary of the last time Paris staged the Olympics.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning
Subscribe