Despite certain controversies around the viability of the Seine or the participation of certain athletes, the atmosphere is at the party for the French National Olympic Committee (CNO) and its athletes. Fourth on the medal table on Wednesday August 7 (48 medals, 13 of which in gold), this success arouses the lust of many nations . But what about African countries? Do they share this craze for the 2024 Paris Games?
Discreet continental fervor
Enthusiasm is more measured in South Africa, the best classified African country - tied with Kenya - on the game of games at the moment, where fervor often remains contained in the Familal home. It is necessary to wait for the participation of the Springbok Sevens or Blitzboks, the Rugby team at 7 South African, and the last exploits of the swimmer Tatjana Smith, the most medalist in the country, to see the beginnings of a national fervor.
Jeune Afrique
the Games: from the feat of Tigress in Nigeria, the female basketball team, to the unprecedented qualification of four African athletes in the long jump final.
The great success of the Paris Olympic Games should not, however, make you forget the importance for the African continent to welcome this unprecedented celebration in turn. While African athletes shine in many disciplines: let us quote the athlete Faith Kipyegon, the Ugandan sprinter Tarsis Orogot or the Algerian boxer Imane Chélif; African leaders see further: becoming a host country of Jop. Even the African volunteers mobilized for the Paris Games display this ambition : to garner experience for the Olympic Youth Games planned in Dakar in 2026.
Soon Olympics African
South Africa has already benefited in the past from the organization of large -scale sporting events as with the Rugby World Cup in 1995 and that of FIFA in 2010. Between the two, it had applied to welcome the Olympic Games as the benefits were beneficial for the economy and the prestige of the country. Post Apartheid, the holding of these international sports competitions participated in the upheaval of the country's politico-economic landscape: growth of South African GDP, infrastructure development, increase in tourism, etc.
Sam Ramsamy, former president of the South African National Olympic Olympic Committee (CNO) and former member of the International Olympic Committee CIO ), recently told BBC Sport Africa that the Olympic Games take place in Africa while Egypt is preparing its candidacy for the 2036 summer games. Egypt is ready now "stressing that" the main support infrastructures - roads, security, airports and hotels - have been very strongly developed in the past seven or eight years. »The modern Egyptian modern pentathlete perceives the economic interest of welcoming such an event, in particular the recipes of television replay. Added to this the creation of jobs related to construction and then the maintenance of dedicated infrastructure, the indirect consequences in terms of tourism and international influence, we can only wish to be the happy organizer of the 2036 summer Olympics.
For Sam Ramsamy, the organization of the Olympic Games will go far beyond a revival of growth: "More importantly, it will inspire all of Africa. This [will show] that Africa is not only a sleeping giant, it is a giant who is awake. »»
