On the eve of the Paris Olympics, IOC president Thomas Bach touted the games Monday as a uniting force in a world of divisive and “deeply disturbing” trends. (More Sports News)
“We are witnessing a new world order in the making,” Bach told an audience that included French president Emmanuel Macron, organizers of the Paris Games that open Friday and officials from Olympic sports feder𝔍ations.
The IOC leader h❀ighlighted “narrow self-interests trumping the rule of law” among threats to the multilateralism that has shapedꦗ global affairs for almost 80 years.
“Historic disruptions are upending the system of international relations that has been in place since the second World War,” Bach said. “The trends are unfortunately clear: decoupling of economies, beggar-thy-neighbor, narrow self-interest♑s trumping the rule of law, Global South' vs. Global North.'”
The Olympics is p▨art of a global and multilateral world that Bach suggested𝓀 “is on the back foot."
“In this new world order, cooperation' or compromise' are sadly considered disparaging terms,” he said. “In this world of division, the athletes personify our shared hope for 🙈a bജetter future. The athletes are showing us how to live peacefully together under one roof in the Olympic Village.”
Earlier Monday, Bach met with athletes from the Israeli and Palestinian teams now l♎iving in the Olympic residences in the Saint-Denis neigh✅borhood north of central Paris.
“In these dark times, our Olympic values matter more than ever,” Bach said in his speech. “It is only by living our Olympic values — the values of so♊lidarity, equality, human dignity for all — that we can bring the entire world together in peac🅘e.”
Bach spoke at a ceremonial opeꦚning — hosted by one of the Paris organizers' French sponsors, luxury goods firm LVMH — o🍷f the International Olympic Committee's annual meeting. It runs through Wednesday at a conference center near the Arc de Triomphe.
On Tuesday, IOC members are set to confirm a 12-year deal agreed⛎ 𒅌with Saudi Arabia to host Olympic Esports Games in video gaming that are meant to help the governing body better engage with young people.
Bach said the Olympics “must engage with this digitally native generation” to stay relevant with them, while supporting Saudi progress in “the popularization of sport and in particular the participation🅘 of girls and women in sport.”
Also Tuesday, future𒁃 Summer Games hosts Los Angeles and Brisbane will update the IOC on their plans for the 2028 and 2032 editions, respectively.
On Wednesday, Salt Lake City should be confirmed as host 𒈔of the 2034 Winter Games, bringing the event back to Utah after a 32-year gap.
The 2030 edition is heading for the French Alps project also centered on coastal city Nice. Final confirmation likely cannot be given this week because of uncertainty in the national government since recent snap elections for parliament called by Macron and which sta𝓡lled momentum that was building for far-right parties.
