WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2015 SPORTS Paris joins race for 2024 Games PARIS: Paris declared its candidacy for billion euros ($4.8 billion). The cost of bid- the 2024 Olympics on Tuesday, becoming ding is projected at 60 million euros ($63 the fourth city to enter the race and set- million). According to Lapasset, 60 to 80 ting out its vision for bringing the games percent of venues have already been built, back to the French capital for the first meaning existing infrastructure would be time in 100 years. The Paris bid, which has at the heart of the project. The Stade de been in the works for months, was formal- France, a new cycling track on the outskirts ly launched in a ceremony at the head- of Paris, the Roland Garros tennis stadium quarters of the French Olympic and many Parisian landmarks including the Committee that was attended by dozens Grand Palais and Champ de Mars are likely of leading French athletes. to be used. The main construction require- “We believe that this bid and our goal to ments include an aquatics center, Olympic host the 2024 Games will excite, unite and village and media center. enthuse the people of Paris, our entire Denis Masseglia, president of the nation and lovers of Olympic and national Olympic committee, said Paris Paralympic sport all over the world,” bid “promises a feasible and flexible games chairman Bernard Lapasset said. concept.” Another key figure in the bid is Paris joins Rome, Boston and Hamburg IOC member and former Olympic canoeing as declared bidders, with Budapest also champion Tony Estanguet. expected to join the contest. Paris has Both Hollande and Prime Minister scheduled a second bid ceremony on Manuel Valls have kept a low profile over Bastille Day on July 14, with French the past six months but made clear they President Francois Hollande and other top supported the bid. Paris Mayor Anne political figures expected to take part. Hidalgo was initially skeptical about the “The state will do everything to see this costs and environmental impact of the sports movement through and to support Olympics and questioned whether France this bid, which will serve as a model in should bid for both the 2024 Olympics and terms of the environment, economy and 2025 World Expo. social protections,” Hollande said in a state- Hidalgo is now one of the bid’s most fer- ment. Paris hosted the Olympics in 1900 vent supporters as a political consensus and 1924 and bid unsuccessfully for the sweeps the major parties, with only some BAKU: Tigran Kirakosyan of Armenia (right) and Uladzislau Burduz of Belarus compete in the Sambo men -57kg bronze medal fight at the 2015 1992, 2008 and 2012 Games. After being members of the Green Party remaining European Games. —AFP criticized for their perceived arrogance in opposed, mainly for financial reasons. their defeats to Beijing and London for the “Paris is looking forward to an exciting 2008 and 2012 Games, French officials have and bold future whilst remaining true to its opted for a more cautious and humble rich sporting and cultural traditions,” Golden-hearted Belarus approach this time, leaving government Hidalgo said Tuesday. “We will be designing officials in a supporting role and making an integrated project with all the talents of sure all the political hurdles were cleared the City of Paris and its suburbs and with before announcing a bid. young people playing a key role.” sambista steal the show “We are off to a very good start. It’s a far The Paris strategy has been praised by better start than we ever had,” French IOC IOC President Thomas Bach, who said in member Guy Drut said. “The main reason April after a meeting with Hollande that “if BAKU: Sportsmanship and camaraderie shone from the early years of the Russian Revolution in “It is sport, so I think it is normal that he tried for that is the massive support of the sports this candidature continues in this spirit, you through in the sport sambo competition on order to toughen up the Red Army and the to help me to stand and carried me to the hall,” movement.” have everything in hand to enter the candi- Monday at the European Games as Belarus’ feared Soviet Police the NKVD-as he lifted added the 29-year-old. Gasimov denied he had The bid announcement coincided with dature phase in full confidence.” Stsiapan Papou carried his injured Azerbaijan Gasimov onto his shoulder and carried him off been foolhardy to take part in the final despite the annual Olympic Day, which celebrates France decided not to bid for the 2020 opponent Amil Gasimov off the mat in Baku to the mat. suffering the injury, as he had not wanted to let the inception of the International Olympic Olympics after Annecy was humiliated in loud applause after having beaten the world The fallen Azerbaijani sambista was then tak- the home support down. Committee on June, 23, 1894 in Paris. Paris the race for the 2018 Winter Games, receiv- champion in the final. en out of the arena in a wheelchair and Papou “I prepared very well, very strongly for com- has until Sept. 15 to submit its candidacy to ing only seven votes in an election won by It was the sort of gesture and dramatic was on hand to help him on and off the podium petition. But in the semi-final bout I suffered an the IOC, which will choose the host city in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The last suc- moment that the sambo enthusiasts would have for the medal ceremony to boot. injury in my leg, but tried to hide it, not to 2017. The infrastructure budget of the Paris cessful French Olympic bid came from been hoping for as the sport-a mix of of various “In Azerbaijan, sambo is more than a sport. demonstrate it,” he said. “The doctors helped me, bid has been estimated at 3 billion euros Albertville, which was awarded the 1992 martial arts including jujitsu, greco-roman Everybody was supporting him and he just and in final I tried not to show my feelings and ($4.5 billion), with operational costs of 3.2 Winter Games.—AP wrestling and judo-made its debut on a wider didn’t want to give up,” said 31-year-old Papou, injury. international stage than it has been previously an avid book reader in his spare time when he is “But he made a painful hold on my injured accustomed to. not pinioning opponents to the mat. “We went leg. I try to bear it and not to give up to the Papou-who was one of two sambistas from on the ground and I was in control all the time. painful technique, but unfortunately I could not. his country to win gold on an electric night of He tried to get me, but I was sitting on his It was hurting me too much.” sambo action watched by a noisy and knowl- Achilles heel. Whilst Gasimov’s misfortune summed up edgeable crowd of 5,000 — was well in control “I did that (carrying him off), because I know Azerbaijan’s night it was all gold for Russia as the of his -74 kilogrammes final and all but sealed how much it hurts. I’ve lost that way before and I team-which is well funded at the orders of victory with an agonising looking leg clamp of know the pain.” Gasimov for his part said that President Vladimir Putin-swept the board win- Gasimov’s Achilles. Papou’s sportsmanship was typical of the atmos- ning all five of the finals they were involved in. Gasimov, who was one of a sad succession of phere that reigned in the sport. France’s Sarah Loko may not have won gold four sambistas from the host country who failed “We met before in the World Cup in Russia, but she certainly reacted as if she had as she was to deliver gold in their finals in front of the and then I beat him in the semi-final match,” said one of the few sambistas from western Europe watchful gaze of Azerbaijan President Ilham Gasimov. “But today I couldn’t wrestle as I would to challenge the eastern supremacy after win- Aliyev, had been carrying a leg injury into the like. ning bronze in the -64kg category. final and had to give into the inevitable. “But we know each other well because we “I am going to drink champagne, meet up Then came the extraordinary gesture by have met a lot of times, on the mat we are rivals, with my boyfriend (a coach on the German judo Papou-who showed a softer side that hardly but after the bout, outside the mat we have team) and get up to something with him in the reflects the origins of a sport which stemmed good relations. centre of town.” —AFP Azerbaijan hoping to build soccer reputation on sand BAKU: It’s safe to say Azerbaijan isn’t on the radar of most soc- cer fans. The oil-rich former Soviet outpost knows, which is why it’s trying to spend its way to prominence. Despite never coming close to qualifying for a World Cup or European Championship, Azerbaijan will be a co-host of Euro 2020. The big draw for UEFA is the new 68,000-seat Olympic Stadium in the capital Baku, which opened this month at a time when tight budgets have made many BAKU: Emma Cain of Great Britain competes during swimming women’s 50m breast- stroke event at the 2015 European Games.