Annecy 'still in hunt' to host 2018 Winter Games

DURBAN, South Africa — French Sports Minister Chantal Jouanno offered hope to Annecy, the French alpine town perceived as outsiders in the race to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, by saying she always won her events at the last gasp.The 41-year-old displayed all her well-honed competitive spirit - which garnered her 12 national karate titles - here on the eve of the vote by the 90+ International Olympic Committee (IOC) members in a rousing rallying call for the Annecy bid.Annecy, who are bidding to give France their first Winter Games since Albertville in 1992, are up against South Korea's Pyeongchang - runners-up on the last two occasions - and German candidate Munich, aiming to be the first venue to host both the Summer (1972) and Winter Games.But Jouanno - who has been in her post since November last year - was adamant here Tuesday that Annecy were still in with a chance of upsetting the odds."Totally truthfully, I am more than anything a real fighter," said Jouanno, who will be joined by Prime Minister Francois Fillon for the final hours of lobbying."In all my competitions, I won them in the final straight."In any case, I am very proud of our candidacy. Things are never lost in advance and it is better to be the outsider."It is in this position that one can pull off surprises."Jouanno, who showed she had lost none of her skills when she won the French national team karate title last year, used the successful campaign for the 2018 Ryder Cup as a prime example of pulling off a shock win."For the Ryder Cup, everyone told us 'it isn't worth going, you have no chance'."Something I believe is in the process of coming about. The meetings we have had since arriving in Durban are very positive."The members are more and more optimistic for us."People who weren't sure about the bid are a lot more positive about the candidacy."Jouanno, who also ran her first marathon this year in Paris, has, however, had enough political experience to accept that despite more favourable comments about the bid that did not translate

Add comment

Nick
Content

Submit