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The Minister for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations made a statement on the Athens Olympic Games, held in Athens from 13 to 29 August 2004.

These Games have been a success for the organising country, which provided delegations and the general public with a very welcoming atmosphere and flawless security. The number of spectators at the competition sites rose continually throughout the Games and the average number of television viewers world-wide exceeded 3 billion. The total cost of the Games is estimated at around €9 billion, including €6 billion of investment expenditure.

The French delegation, which represented 24 of the 28 summer Olympic federations and was made up of 321 competitors, including 114 women, has returned with an impressive 33 medals: 11 gold, 9 silver and 13 bronze. Consequently, France ranks seventh in the medals table behind the United States, China, Russia, Australia, Japan and Germany. The upsurge of the Asian nations, particularly Japan, has pushed Germany and France back to sixth and seventh place in the world, respectively. France ranks second among the 25 European Union countries.

Three quarters of the French medallists have benefited from schemes providing access to high-level sports coaching and monitoring, which confirms the vital role of INSEP [Institut national du sport et de l’Education physique – French national sports institute], which will be totally revamped between now and the Beijing Games. One of the priorities of France’s preparation of the next Olympics will be to focus on French sportswomen, a rich potential source of medals.

France achieved some remarkable results in sports such as swimming and fencing, where the best results were recorded since 1948. There were also good results in artistic gymnastics, equestrian sports, sailing, canoe/kayak, mountain bike (cross-country) and women’s wrestling, a new Olympic sport. France had good overall results in sports such as rowing, tennis, taekwondo and boxing. In athletics, although she did not live up to the hopes kindled following the 2003 world championships, France nevertheless got better results than in Sydney.

This autumn, in preparation for the Beijing Games, the Ministry and sports movement will review the performances of the French competitors in order to make a detailed assessment of the successes and failures and develop new schemes providing access to high-level sports coaching and monitoring.

Athens saw another milestone passed in the effort to step up the fight against doping; the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in collaboration with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), took rigorous preventive action and consistently enforced the rules, not hesitating to take medals away from competitors [found to have taken prohibited substances].

The experience gained in Athens will, of course, be put to good use when it comes to improving and finalising Paris’ bid for the 2012 Olympic Games./.

The French government congratulated Greece on its admirable hosting of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, which took place from August 13 to August 29. The Minister for Youth and Sports extolled the welcoming atmosphere and superb security provided by Greece. Advances in the international effort against the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs were also praised by French officials.

France’s delegation boasted athletes representing 24 of a possible 28 summer Olympic federations. There was a total of 321 French competitors, 114 of whom were women. Swimming and fencing were events in which France’s athletic prowess particularly stood out. French athletes brought home 33 medals in all: 11 gold, 9 silver and 13 bronze. Its medal tally ranked seventh in the world and second in the European Union.

Three fourths of the French delegation benefited from training at the Institut National du Sport et de l’Education Physique (French National Sports Institute) which will be completely revamped between now and the Olympic games in Beijing. Particular focus will be directed at female athletes who are believed to be a rich potential source for medals.

The French achievements in Athens will undoubtedly help Paris’s bid for the Olympic games in 2012.