The Paris 2024 Olympics were considered a large success in France. Why? There are at least a fewer reasons, among others, to avoid safety risks, tourists and athletes have given themselves a "human mood", The Seine was "incapacitated" and it held scheduled competitions. In addition, the sporting successes of French Olympians – a evidence number of medals and 5th place in the general classification of the Games – allowed the public to forget about another problems, deep divisions, or the political and economical crisis.
It is the "integrating value of sport" that is the most crucial for the French authorities. But can it be otherwise in a country overran by social divisions, uncertainty of tomorrow, disintegration of suburbs, the influence of Islamism, the increasing number of illegal migrants? This is the athletics for the people of the country on the Seine Remedium for all pains and problems, and, by the way, “people are to unite” by sport, and the struggles of the players themselves are to build a affirmative image of France beyond its borders.
This kind of road has been followed by Belgium for many years, where athletics has actually remained the only common value of this decaying country. Is that adequate for France, too?
Politics is coming back
On 11 August, however, the games ended and the issue of "bread" comes back, which has provided the French with a fresh government that is inactive missing. Interestingly, president Macron's successful games don't regulation out... any more early elections.
The conclusion of the Olympic Games besides means the end of the political truce. The president has inactive not appointed Prime Minister due to the fact that he 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 consultations on the issue after August 19 and it cannot be excluded that he will want to discount the success of the Olympics besides in politics.
In terms of the anticipation of further elections, we request to ask ourselves: has France truly changed since the erstwhile "year of riots" in the "summer of Olympic joy"? The media pointed out that public transport was exceptionally good, there were no strikes, and 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. However, the success of this sporting performance seems obvious. For 2 weeks it was not the same France, where shops and burning cars are looted. 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 zeal that give the French the chance to experience France reconciled with each another and warmly united around affirmative values are blessed;... They let the French to identify with a country that wins and believes in itself. They give the French a sense that French society can avoid divisions and fragmentation."
Schoettl adds that "in specified moments national communicative is being built", although he considers it unnecessary specified "provokations" as the "paradise of the Last Supper" and considers them to be "a meaningless, though disturbing item which, however, has been 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 off from the roots and past caused voidness and shaken the identity of the French.
Jean-Eric Schoettl states that “in the last half century, the French have witnessed a 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 “The success of the Olympic Games contributes to the creation of a rich heritage of memories,” explains Schoettl, and adds that “the desire to further consolidate 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.
Many fires were extinguished during the games, but there were more incidents. It is adequate to remind, for example, the fight of the hijade of French athletes, or imposing LGBT ideology (opening ceremony), genderism (boxes), feminism, etc. It is all indications that these issues will shortly return with double force, and that is why the national authorities are wondering how to "extend the effects of the games"?
This will be highly difficult, due to the fact that there is no good will on the left side of the political-ideological scene. 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 than the thought of building on this foundation a fresh community. 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’, as announced, among others, by Minister of Tourism Olivia Grégoire. The politician reported that in the capital of France 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.
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 EUR 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.
Even in the smallest towns, before the beginning of the school year, poorer families are given a “sportsbon” and an 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 put 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 of 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 this strategy continues. 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
