CITIES WRESTLING TO LAY CLAIM TO THE 1992 OLYMPICS : Paris Believes That Being Paris Is Enough

In discussing their efforts to bring the 1992 Summer Olympics to the banks of the Seine, officials of the Paris organizing committee invariably start at the beginning.

On Nov. 25, 1892, in the Grand Amphitheater at the Sorbonne, Pierre de Coubertin, a French baron, called for a revival of the Olympics, which had been dormant for 25 centuries. Whether De Coubertin was ahead of his time, or perhaps behind it by more than 2,000 years, is a subject for historians, but there is no question that his idea was stunning in 1892.

De Coubertin recalled in his memoirs that the audience applauded wildly. For what, it did not know. De Coubertin wrote that his recommendation was met with “total, absolute misunderstanding which . . . was to last for a very long time.”

Not until two years later did the Congress for the Revival of the Olympic Games convene in Paris, and not until four years later, in 1896, did the Olympic revival became a reality in Athens, Greece.

For the sake of history, however, the birth of the modern Olympics is traced to Paris in 1892, which is one reason officials here believe it would be appropriate for this city to play host to the Games of the XXV Olympiad in 1992, 100 years after De Coubertin’s appeal.

But although there is no doubt about Paris’ role in Olympic history, or even about its unofficial designation as “the Capital of Olympic Renewal,” officials from five other cities argue that Paris had the Games in 1900 and 1924 and that it is not Paris’ turn in 1992.

For the intense competition among the cities, the International Olympic Committee can thank Peter Ueberroth. In contrast to 1978, when Los Angeles was the only serious contender for the 1984 Games, and 1982, when Seoul, South Korea had to overcome one other challenger for the 1988 Games, officials from six cities, most of them no doubt inspired by the L.A. Olympic Organizing Committee’s $230-million profit, have bid for the 1992 Summer Games.

In a vote Oct. 17 at Lausanne, Switzerland, IOC members will select the winner. On the same day, they will choose from among seven cities bidding for the 1992 Winter Games.

One winter candidate is Albertville, in the Savoy region of France, which could hurt Paris’ efforts if voters decide they do not want to award both Olympic Games in 1992 to the same country. That has not happened since 1936.

Another potential problem for Paris, as well as for four other summer candidates--Amsterdam, Belgrade, Yugoslavia; Birmingham, England, and Brisbane, Australia--is that IOC President Juan Samaranch is a native of Barcelona, Spain, a leading contender.

Largely because of Samaranch, Barcelona is considered the favorite, although officials here say they believe the IOC president’s repeated claims that he is neutral and add that, even if Samaranch is playing favorites, his influence over other IOC members is exaggerated.

Two months before the vote, Paris officials are confident that they are in the right place at the right time.

The place, of course, is Paris.

Aware of the worldwide reputation Parisians have earned for self-infatuation, officials here are careful to avoid appearances of arrogance. They clearly do not want to be seen taking the approach of “We’re Paris, and you’re not.” But if someone else sings their praises, who are they to object?

Within a few minutes after he completed his race at a meet here last month, U.S. hurdler Edwin Moses was cornered by a man who is producing a film on behalf of the Paris organizing committee. He just happened to have a camera crew with him.

Asked why he would support Paris’ candidacy for the Olympics, Moses said: “Because it’s Paris. The city speaks for itself.” The producer beamed.

In Paris’ proposal, athletes and spectators would be treated to the best the central city has to offer, leaving them little reason to venture into the suburbs except to visit Euro-Disneyland, scheduled to open in late 1990. Paris, incidentally, was chosen over Barcelona as the site for the amusement park.

The Olympic Village is planned for both banks of the Seine River, within 30 minutes by metro of all but a few of the venues. Of the 28 sports, 19 would be held within a short walk of the river. The proposed site on the right bank is being protested by preservationists, however, because it is also the site of a historic wine market.

“Los Angeles did an excellent job in 1984, but, unfortunately, everything was spread out,” said Alain Danet, vice chairman of the organizing committee and president of the Racing Club, one of Europe’s oldest and most distinguished athletic clubs.

“When it is said that the Games are in Paris, it will mean just that, not that the Games are 50 kilometers out of Paris.”

In order to make that claim, the organizing committee received permission from the government to create temporary sports arenas from buildings better known for their distinctive architecture, including the Grand Palais for fencing and the Palais des Congres for weightlifting.

The most spectacular venue is Champ de Mars, where a portion of the equestrian competition would be held. It is at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, facing Ecole Militaire. Another portion of the equestrian competition would be held at the Longchamps race course.

Besides the Olympic Village, which will be constructed and converted into apartments and offices even if Paris does not receive the bid, the only major facilities the city would have to build are a 100,000-seat Olympic stadium, an aqua-sports center for swimming and diving, and a shooting range.

“Los Angeles provided the model by using existing facilities except for a swimming stadium and a velodrome,” Danet said. “It is important not to build just for the Olympics.”

According to the organizing committee’s budget, the expenditures for the Games would amount to $1.2 billion, half of it paid by the national government and the other half shared by the city and regional governments.

Danet said that with receipts from television, ticketing, coin and stamp programs and commercial sponsorships, the Games should at least break even. But even if they operate at a loss, he said there are no plans to increase taxes, which has not hurt the organizing committee’s popularity.

Polls indicate that 75% of the people in Paris favor the bid, even though a promotional campaign began only within the last month. An exhibition honoring France’s role in the Olympics opened at City Hall July 21.

More recently, bumper stickers and posters devoted to the cause began appearing at all metro and train stations, bus stops, airports, banks and department stores. Warm-up suits, T-shirts, key chains and other souvenirs are available at various places, including a bus that roams the city.

IOC members view the campaign as an effort by officials here to prove that their bid to bring the Olympics to Paris is genuine. It has been suggested that Parisians offered their city as a favor at a time when the IOC appeared to need one but, being Parisians, can take or leave the Games. They will always have Paris.

Danet said there should be no doubts about the city’s sincerity, considering the unprecedented alliance between President Francois Mitterand, a Socialist, and Prime Minister Jacques Chirac, a Gaullist who also is Paris’ mayor and the organizing committee’s chairman. Political rivals, they agree on little except Paris’ Olympic bid.

“When Chirac goes to Parliament to discuss the Olympics, he hears ‘Bravo!’ from the Communists, ‘Bravo!’ from the Socialists, ‘Bravo!’ from the Gaullists,” Danet said. “That is the only time he receives unanimous support.”

In perhaps the most significant indication of the importance of the Games to the French, Mitterand used his talks last month in Moscow with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to, among other things, appeal for Eastern Bloc support of Paris’ Olympic bid.

The organizing committee also has received considerable support from French economic interests, hardly a given in a country that leans to the left, but understandable considering the success that business enjoyed in its relationship with the LAOOC.

One of France’s leading developers, Francois Bouygues, bought a 10-page advertising supplement last month in Time magazine advocating Paris’ bid. Speculation is that he would like to get the contract to build the Olympic stadium. Although Bouygues no doubt would benefit from such an arrangement, Danet warned that other entrepreneurs might not find Paris as accommodating as they did Los Angeles in 1984.

“There is only one Peter Ueberroth,” Danet said, adding that even Ueberroth might not be able to work the same economic wonders in a country not as commercially oriented as the United States.

Also, Danet said, the Paris organizing committee, as a matter of principle, prefers to have financial support from the government instead of the private sector.

“The philosophy of Paris is completely consistent with the philosophy of the Olympic movement at the present time,” he said. “We are not against accepting help from companies, but only as long as they are helping. We will not sell the Games to commercial interests. What was necessary in Los Angeles is not necessarily in the best interests of Olympism.”

As for the reason behind Paris’ bid, Danet said the Olympics are needed to revive interest in sports among the country’s youth and revitalize athletic programs that have not yet recovered from two world wars.

“It’s time for Paris to build for its youth, to give its youth the Games,” Danet said. “We need a renewal. Paris needs it; France needs it.”

Even if Paris loses, France still will have an Olympics if Albertville gets the Winter bid. But Danet said that would satisfy only the Savoy region and not the entire country.

“The Winter Games are no more important than the Asian Games or the Pan American Games,” he said. “There are 163 countries that participate in the Summer Games and 35 in the Winter Games. There are 28 sports in the Summer Games and only 5 or 6 in the Winter Games. The Summer Games are the Games of an entire country; the Winter Games are the Games of a specific region.”

Danet termed ludicrous a report that Paris would consider withdrawing its bid to give Albertville a better chance in the Winter vote.

“There is no connection between Albertville and Paris,” he said. “Those who insist that we are in some way linked are looking for an excuse not to vote for one of us or perhaps both of us.”

Danet also said that rumors about Samaranch supporting Barcelona’s bid are politically motivated, fueled by the IOC president’s critics, who want to cast doubt on his leadership abilities.

“The most important thing in the Olympic movement is to have a place to host the Games,” Danet said. “When Samaranch became president in 1980, there was a crisis. Cities did not want the Games.

“To find six candidates for the Games of the XXV Olympiad is a tribute to the success of Los Angeles but also to Samaranch. Do you think he would risk the good he has done by favoring one city over another?

“If he did, it would be impossible to find cities to bid for 1996 and 2000 because they would believe they could not win without his favoritism. We would be back in a situation like we had in 1982, when we had to give the Games to Seoul, which was a nightmare.”

Danet said he thought it was significant that, for the sake of appearances, Samaranch did not attend a reception given by the Barcelona organizing committee at the World Cup soccer tournament in Mexico City this summer but was present three days later for a birthday party in Danet’s honor.

“Maybe I’m the only one, but I believe very strongly that Samaranch is neutral,” Danet said. “People say I’m naive, but I prefer to be wrong than to believe Samaranch will not be fair.”

It is not unusual, however, for there to be distrust between the French and the Spanish. Barcelona’s mayor, Pasqual Maragall, said last month that the French government has pressured the Spanish government to withdraw the Olympic bid, a charge that prompted an angry denial by French government officials and an apology from Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzales.

The governments have been on good terms recently because of France’s decision to reverse a long-standing policy and extradite Spain’s Basque terrorists.

Terrorism is a problem shared by Spain and France. In defense of Paris, Danet pointed out that the city is the base for Interpol, the international police force, and that French experts handled security for the World Cup in Mexico City, where there were no major incidents. Only last month, however, there was a series of bombings in Paris, including one at police headquarters.

But until the vote in Lausanne, Danet’s major headaches will be political. One outspoken critic of Samaranch is Monique Berlioux, a former executive director of the IOC who resigned last year after it became apparent that she could not coexist with the president. She left IOC headquarters in Lausanne and returned to her home in Paris, where she became an official adviser to Chirac on the Olympic bid.

She also is writing a potentially explosive book about her 18-year involvement with the IOC, but Danet said he has pleaded with her to postpone the publication date until next year so as not to offend the IOC membership before the Oct. 17 vote.

Although she admits that the book will “make noise,” Berlioux said in a recent interview with the International Herald Tribune that it will not be published until November, 1987, and denied reports that excerpts will be published in English and German magazines this fall.

“You can’t imagine how much Samaranch and Monique hate each other,” Danet said. “Between them and Albertville, sometimes it’s like I’m running in boots.”

OLYMPIC SUMMER GAME SITES 1 Athens 1896 2 Paris 1900 3 St. Louis 1904 4 London 1908 5 Stockholm 1912 6 Canceled 1916 7 Antwerp 1920 8 Paris 1924 9 Amsterdam 1928 10 Los Angeles 1932 11 Berlin 1936 12 Canceled 1940 13 Canceled 1944 14 London 1948 15 Helsinki 1952 16 Melbourne 1956 17 Rome 1960 18 Tokoyo 1964 19 Mexico City 1968 20 Munich 1972 21 Montreal 1976 22 Moscow 1980 23 Los Angeles 1984 24 Seoul 1988