Posted on 07/06/2005 7:39:30 AM PDT by LongsforReagan
PARIS - A hush fell over a crowd of thousands of Parisians gathered expectantly outside City Hall on Wednesday as rival London defeated the French capital in a hotly contested battle to host the 2012 Olympics. Raindrops began falling just before the announcement, and dejected spectators folded up French flags and streamed away from the square after Paris failed in its third attempt since 1992 to bring the games back to the city, which hosted the Olympics in 1900 and 1924.
Tony Parker of the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs said Paris’ loss proved the IOC had an Anglo-Saxon bias. "It’s been three times now that Paris has been refused — 1992, 2008 and 2012. I find that bizarre,” Parker said. “We did everything we had to do. I don’t know what more we could have done. “It proves that the committee is Anglo-Saxon. They prefer the English.” French President Jacques Chirac, who had traveled to Singapore for the city’s final presentation to the IOC, learned of the defeat aboard the plane carrying him to the G8 summit in Scotland. chirac congratulated London and wished “good luck and full success to the authorities and British people,” his office said. Chirac “thanked the whole Paris 2012 team for the formidable work it accomplished.” In Paris, onlookers had stood with their fingers crossed for good luck, watching on two giant screens set up outside the ornate building as the International Olympic Committee announced the decision in Singapore. As the announcement came, many looked stunned. Some cupped their faces in their hands; others stood silently watching scenes of jubilation erupting in the British capital or staring vacantly for up to 20 minutes at the empty podium — a stark contrast to the carnival atmosphere that was evident earlier in the day.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
I hadn't heard this yet. This is great!
They had brought white flags to wave in celebration, but instead they waved them in surrender.
How is it that Tony Parker becomes a spokesman for Paris? Isn't Chirac bad enough?
But how will we know?
I know, I got giddy reading this piece.
Sacre bleu!!
LOL!
Poor Frenchies - first Freedom Fries and now this!
Look around Tony. There are plenty of cities around the world that have been turned down at least as many times.
BTW, whos CARES what you think? Expecially when you start to claim racism in the choice!
Yeah, that's why they picked Beijing, keep it Anglo-Saxon. Oh wait, aren't they Asian???
Keep on whining, Tony. There are many reasons why the French didn't get the Olympics, and many reasons why the French are intensely disliked. And no, I would not be surprised if there was some overlap between the two, rather than just a simple preference for Anglo-Saxon countries.
The jig was up right then and there...
And how many medals do the Frogs have?
The French do. Think Jerry Lewis.
"I don’t know what more we could have done. "
Stop being 'French', for starters.
Bwahahahahahaha!!!
Wtf??? who the fuk cares what Tony Parker thinks?
How do you say Schadefreude in French?
I wonder if the French and Russians working to cheat the Canadian ice skate pair David Pelletier and Jamie Sale in 2002 had any play in this decision?
"Mon dieu! First vultures,
and now, no Olympics. Merde!
It sucks being France!"
Or maybe everyone just hates the French.
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