The IOC and the Games caught in the grip of a major political crisis – Sport & Society

Around 45 days before the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, France is entering a major political crisis with, in light of the national results of the European elections, the announcement by the President of the Republic of the dissolution of the National Assembly and the convocation de facto early legislative elections to take place between the end of June and the beginning of July.

HASwhen the delivery of sports sites takes place little by little, and the ephemeral installations are deployed one after the other in the Ile-de-France landscape, like the climbing stadium at Le Bourget (Seine-Saint-Denis) or the facilities planned along the Seine in Paris, the national political context suddenly reminded the organizers of the Games and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of the complexity of the French institutional system.

If the administrative mille-feuille has always been a point of vigilance for the Olympic institution during the examination of French candidatures, the test has never taken the turn of the present news.

In fact, after having experienced the regional elections of 2015 which led to an alternation across Île-de-France between the left-wing majority and the new right-wing presidentThen the 2017 presidential election which brought Emmanuel Macron to power, the Paris 2024 Bid Committee – then Organizing Committee (COJO) – had not previously experienced any large-scale institutional upheaval. Certainly, the 2020 Municipal Elections, although orchestrated in the unique context of the global pandemic of Covid-19had, beyond the status quo Parisian, gave a few cold sweats quickly swept away near Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône) where the new elected majority had for a time wanted to renegotiate the participation of the Phocaean City in the scheduling of the Games.

Today, however, the context has evolved with regard to the results of the European elections which took place this Sunday June 9, 2024.

Faced with the rout of his camp, the Head of State decided to dissolve the National Assembly, consequently leading to the calling of early legislative elections.

As provided in article 12 of the Constitution:

General elections take place at least twenty days and at most forty days after the dissolution.

In the present case, Emmanuel Macron has already set the dates of the election, namely June 30 for the first round and July 7 for the second.

This situation therefore places the Games in a somewhat ludicrous situation, the outcome of the upcoming elections having to take place less than a month before the opening of the global sporting event for which thousands of athletes, millions of spectators and dozens of Heads of State and other foreign dignitaries are expected in Paris and France.

The President of the Republic is committing a real coup here pokernoting a parliamentary blockage following the legislative elections of 2022, legislative elections which did not then make it possible to achieve an absolute majority for its troops, and a national context where the extreme right reached an unprecedented level for a vote European.

Of course, the calling of new elections will not have a major impact on the preparations for the Paris 2024 Games, with the organizers maintaining the course knowing that current affairs are in any case carried out by the government in office, particularly on the aspect safe.

However, beyond a possible impact that could ultimately have a parliamentary shift, the IOC undoubtedly looks with caution at the French political news of the moment, especially taking into account the upcoming attribution of the 2030 Winter Games… to the French Alps, on the occasion of the IOC Session on July 24, 2024.

However, the finalization of the technical file is not yet complete.

As proof, in addition to the issues relating to the distribution of sites, the French candidacy remained last week awaiting the guarantee from the State, a guarantee which was to be provided by the Prime Minister, with the approval of the President of the Republic, before the deadline of June 11, i.e. on the eve of the meeting of the IOC Executive Commission during which the Future Host Commission for the Winter Games must present its Report.

The IOC finds itself here in an unprecedented situation, at least in such a restricted space-time.

The institution will in fact be required to continue its work with the same Host for two major events – Paris 2024 Summer Games and 2030 French Alps Winter Games – all in a context of strong political tensions. Because whatever the result of the vote on June 30 and July 7, 2024, it is a safe bet that the virulent criticism of the Head of State will continue until the next presidential election scheduled for spring 2027. Unless the President ultimately decides to put his own mandate back into play, which some political commentators already began to mention last night.

All things considered, this recalls another situation delicately perceived on the side of Lausanne, namely the case of Rio 2016.

At the time, the organization of the Games had been parasitized by the Brazilian social and political crisis, with the country experiencing huge demonstrations in the streets of major cities and the initiation of impeachment proceedings against the President, Dilma Roussef. This crisis had propelled his Vice-President and future successor, Michel Temer, to the forefront, who was heavily booed on the evening of the Opening Ceremony.

Brazilian preparations had also been aggravated by the delays and criticisms leveled at the Olympic projects in a context of great bureaucracy.

More recently, the IOC has also observed the institutional changes taking place in Australia, first with the alternation at the level of the Federal State then a change of Prime Minister at the head of Queensland. But in this specific case, the deadline for the Brisbane Games not taking place until 2032 allows greater room for maneuver and adaptability for both the organizers and the public authorities.

For the French case, the Lausanne (Switzerland) institution officially displays its confidence.

Currently present in Paris – where he particularly welcomed the recent installation of the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower – Thomas Bach thus spoke this Monday, June 10, 2024 of the unity which was the strength of the candidacy and the preparations for the organization of the Paris 2024 Games.

As the IOC President said on the sidelines of a visit to a school in the presence of the Mayor, Anne Hidalgo:

It is a democratic process which will not disrupt the Games.

We see great unity in support of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

We feel the enthusiasm that is evident here and, that is why, France is used to having elections, and they are going to do it again, and we will have a new government and a new Parliament, and everyone will support the Olympic Games.

The coming weeks will clarify the situation.

Proof that the Games remain a totem to be preserved for at least part of the political sphere, Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally – a political movement which came well ahead of this Sunday’s vote – had recently raised the possibility for the President Macron to dissolve the National Assembly, but waiting for the month of September and the end of the Olympic and Paralympic period.

The Head of State ultimately did not wait.

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