The Paris 2024 Olympics were considered a success in France. The safety risks have been avoided, the popular temper has been given to tourists and athletes, the economical success has been mentioned and even the Seine, despite any failures, has been tamed by major swimming competitions. Sports competitions and successes (recorded number of medals and 5th place in the general classification) have allowed to forget about another problems, deep social divisions, or political and economical crisis. The media even writes about a "people community" that developed during the Olympics. The importance of inclusive sports is besides crucial for power. In a country overran by social divisions, the uncertainty of tomorrow, the disintegration of suburbs, the influences of Islamism, the increasing number of illegal migrants, athletics is to be a remedy for specified pains, while at the same time uniting people and supporting integration, as well as building the image of a country beyond its borders. Belgium had previously followed this route, where athletics remained, in fact, the only common value of this decaying country. Is that adequate for France?
Politics is coming back
On 11 August, however, the games ended and the issue of "bread" and politics, namely the crisis surrounding the creation of a majority government, returns. With the success of the Olympics and indirectly the government, president Macron does not regulation out the establishment of further early elections. The conclusion of the Olympic Games besides means the end of the political truce. The president has inactive not appointed the Prime Minister and demands the creation of a previously majority coalition. The Left believes that as a winning group it has a mandate to submit its candidate, but without the support of the centre it would have no chance of accepting. Macron is expected to launch a consultation on this after August 19 and it cannot be excluded that he will want to disprove the success of the Olympics besides in politics..
In terms of the possibilities of the next election, should we ask ourselves whether France has truly changed since the erstwhile "year of riot" in the "summer of Olympic joy"? The media pointed out that public transport worked exceptionally well, there were no strikes, the streets were safer than usual. To what degree tens of thousands of police have caused this, and to what degree "social enthusiasm" is hard to assess. The success of this sporting performance seems obvious. For 2 weeks, it was not the same France that plundered shops and torched cars. Even social optimism over the Seine. But how long will it last?
The attack on Christians is only a "detail", and athletics will be the foundation of a fresh nation?
A high-level government official, Jean-Eric Schoettl, says that “the moments of enthusiasm that give us the chance to experience France reconciled with 1 another and warmly united around affirmative values are blessed;... They let us to identify with a country that wins and believes in itself. They give us the feeling that French society can avoid divisions and fragmentation." He adds that "in specified moments a national communicative is being built", although he considers it unnecessary specified "provokations" as the "paradise of the Last Supper" and considers them to be "nonsensical, although disturbing detail, which was nevertheless erased by the incredible success of the whole".
There are even debates in the media about a fresh way of creating a nation. Indeed, cutting from the roots and past caused voidness and shaken the identity of the French. Jean-Eric Schoettl states that “in the last half-century we have witnessed the crucial withdrawal of conventional structures specified as family, school, church, neighborhood, army, trade unions, parties, youth movements, etc.” Now the overriding “republic value” becomes sport. “The Republic needs rites, emblems and commemorations, due to the fact that no society can do without symbols,” says Schoettl, “it is the success of the Olympic Games that contributes to the creation of a rich heritage of memories” or “the desire to further establish the heritage.” There's quite a few greed in this game. The problem is, they're short-lived. France had already won football championships and rather rapidly the basic problems of this country returned.
Such problems were resolved, but all the time they were lingering and during the Olympics to remind, for example, the fight of the hijab of French athletes, or imposing LGBT ideology (opening ceremony), genderism (boxes), feminism, etc. They will most likely return, although France wonders how to “extend the effects of the games”? It's gonna be hard due to the fact that there's no goodwill on the left. Mer Paris, Socialist Anne Hidalgo has already stated that “these games crush the message of the far right”. You can see that the temptation to make ideological usage of the Olympics is inactive stronger on the left side than the thought of building a fresh community on this foundation. Besides, the foundation is rather fragile and will collapse all next sports defeat, not to mention everyday life.
Economic success
However, the festival of media optimism continues. The rulers besides guarantee the economical success of the games. It is reported that the Paris Olympic Games are a "economic and tourist success", and the Minister of Tourism Olivia Grégoire has declared success. She said that in the capital attendance in museums and restaurants increased by 25%, and the Olympic Games had a affirmative impact on hotels, restaurants and bars in the Paris region, but besides on another cities-hosts of the games. Grégoire stated that "at the end of the 2 weeks of the competition, there was an increase in the number of overnight stays in all the cities-hosts of the games by 16%, including 20% in Île-de-France (Paris region), and attendance in museums and restaurants and bar consumption was on average over 25% normal.
In her opinion, it was besides a "great organizational success" and a large "promotion of the image of France". She stressed that "this is not the end of economical benefits, as it has been shown in the past that the games have had affirmative effects long after they have been completed". In her opinion, "the final estimation of benefits in 15 years will full 9 billion." She recalled that the Olympics alone cost EUR 8.8 billion, but they consist of "primarily private investments that will mostly cover costs".
...and sports?
Finally, the sports aspect. China, USA, Australia, Japan, France – this is the first "five" table of the medal summertime games in Paris. Polish fans, unlike the natives, most likely would like to forget about this "gender-blade" Olympics (the place in the medal table worst since 1956 and the medal accomplishment of 1-4-5). It's hard to forget an ambitious girl who has succumbed to a sex boxing idiot.
France proudly announces the success of sports as well, but even in a tiny town, before the start of the school year, poorer parents get a “sportsbon” and a full guide with addresses of clubs of respective disciplines operating in their area. Of course, there is besides the statistical support of sport, i.e. state backing of medal opportunities in order to rise the prestige of power. For France, as we mentioned, athletics is now the most crucial component of social integration and already 1 of the last, after the abolition of universal military service and the crisis of education. The deluder is an idea, but they have nothing better. Indeed, the "multiculturality" of their representation shows that youth of immigrant "banlieu" is gaining social promotion through sport. but it's for the units.
Since the Paris Games, the government has exerted strong force on its athletes. The Elysée Palace defined a circumstantial financial strategy to aid athletes prepare. There's quite a few money here. Here it is worth recalling that over the Seine, the top-down support for athletics began immediately after 1960 and the fatal Olympic Games in Rome for this country. It was a fiasco of French athletics (5 medals and not 1 gold). Since then, France has seen more than a sporting dimension of the Olympics and is trying to exploit it. "If France shines abroad thanks to its thinkers, scholars and artists, it must shine besides by its athletes. The country must be large thanks to the quality of its youth and we cannot imagine this youth without sports ideals," De Gaulle said in 1960, and since then this strategy has continued. The government then adopted 3 program laws concerning the construction of 4000 gymnasiums, 1500 swimming pools and 8000 sports fields. Today, France shines only thanks to its athletes and most likely Charles de Gaulle didn't think that 1 day it would all be over?
Bogdan Dobosh
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