Bilateral Agreement between France and Australia

France and Australia already had the enviable status of future hosts of the Olympic Games. The next year in Paris on the French side, and eight years later in Brisbane on the Australian side. Even more firmly, the two nations stamped their rapprochement on the Olympic grounds on Sunday, April 23.

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with its French rival (CNOSF). It was launched in Brisbane by AOC President Ian Chesterman and his French counterpart Brigitte Henriques (photo above). To demonstrate the importance of the agreement, the former international footballer made the long journey to Queensland to put her signature at the bottom of the document.

The agreement between the two National Olympic Committees, which runs for more than five years until December 31, 2028, is broad and multifaceted. The AOC and CNOSF plan to work together on a long series of subjects in the fight against doping and abuse, including sports, sports-health, but also marketing and, unprecedentedly, the organization of major sporting events.

The Protocol, signed in Brisbane on Sunday 23 April, also ” Encourage collaboration and training exchanges between Australian and French sports to support innovative projects in the field of high performance and research in sports science. »

According to Ian Chesterman, successor to John Coates as head of the Australian Olympic Movement: With Paris 2024 and Brisbane 2032 less than ten years away, our two organizations have much to gain from working together in areas of common interest. As a member of the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOCs), we are committed to ensuring that the Brisbane 2032 Games are home games for all of our Pacific neighbours, including the French territories. Likewise, we have a lot to learn before Paris 2024.. »

Same story with Brigitte Henriques: ” We are delighted to have signed the first Memorandum of Understanding between the Australian and French NOCs today and look forward to the Paris 2024 and Brisbane 2032 Games to strengthen our collaboration. Under the Olympic Charter, we all have an obligation to respect fair play and protect the integrity of international sport. Our athletes are at the center of everything we do. Providing them with the best performance environment, their mental health and, of course, the health of the planet is close to our hearts. I strongly believe that strong collaboration will help achieve these goals.. »

Among the priorities of both countries is the implementation of a project aimed at bringing together Australian and French schools. Less than 500 days from the start of the Paris 2024 Games, it is still in its infancy, but both sides promise it will be operational before next summer’s games. Having set up a similar initiative ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Games, the Australians know the ropes. This made it possible to establish exchanges between 600 Australian and Japanese schools.

The agreement signed on Sunday 24 April between the AOC and CNOSF is not the first sign of a strategic rapprochement between Australia and France. Last July, an exchange protocol was already concluded between the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra and the French National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance (INSEP). The document was launched in Paris by former swimmer Kieran Perkins, director-general of the Australian Sports Commission and former judoka Fabian Kanu, director of INSEP. It provides enhanced collaboration between the Australian and French national teams, and gives Australian athletes access to INSEP training sites as part of their preparation for the 2024 Paris Games.

This link is about the Paris 2024 and Brisbane 2024 Games Organizing Committees. Vincent Bascugni, responsible for international cooperation at the Paris 2024 OCOG, explained this last month. Frank Games : The first exchanges, still informal, have already started with Brisbane 2032, especially at the level of financial management.