I am French person. Where do you think I got this outrrrrageous accent?
What a bunch of sore losers. It'll be whine and cheese in Paris for a while.
Posted on 07/07/2005 8:24:52 AM PDT by conservativecorner
PARIS (Reuters) - French politicians, media and sports officials cried foul on Thursday over London's snatching of the 2012 Olympic Games from Paris, suggesting underhand tactics may have played a part.
Many congratulated London on its surprise victory. Others said they were convinced Paris's bid was better. Some said London had gone beyond the bounds of fair play.
"An injustice has been done to us by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) members. It's an affront to France," said Francis Luyce, head of France's swimming federation.
Paris bid chief Bertrand Delanoe, the city's mayor, questioned the tactics that helped London win Wednesday's vote in Singapore by the IOC.
"I am simply not sure that we (London and Paris) behaved in the same way as regards the rules of the competitition," he told Le Figaro newspaper.
"Our bid was excellent. Our state of mind was really appropriate to sport and the Olympic spirit. Other things brought London victory but I am not sure they are to do with sport."
London won the final vote at Wednesday's IOC session by 54 votes to 50.
"London, the miraculous survivor, led by the charismatic Sebastian Coe, knew how to work every tactic from aggressive marketing to pure rabble-rousing, promising a better a future to the underprivileged youth of the world," sports daily L'Equipe said.
"They overstepped the mark."
The popular Le Parisien newspaper said the Paris team had paid the price for trying to be irreproachable in its tactics.
"For two years London infringed the rules...but each time the IOC forgave the English," it said.
SECRET SERVICES AT PLAY?
Le Parisien said there had been rumours circulating that Britain had employed its secret services in some way to help the bid before reassuring readers there was no proof of this.
"I am incredulous because the French bid was without doubt better," said Bernard Ansalem, head of the French athletics federation.
Trying to explain Paris's third failed Oluympic bid in 20 years, many blamed France's inferior lobbying skills and declining political influence in the IOC and the wider world.
France lost out because of a strong U.S., British and Spanish alliance built around the group of nations who backed the U.S.-led war in Iraq, some suggested.
The dynamism of Prime Minister Tony Blair and London bid leader Sebastian Coe was also compared with the older-looking Paris team and unpopular President Jacques Chirac.
What do the French want, London to be bombed or something?
The French are such whiners.
Maybe most everyone on the IOC just hates escargots..
Just possibly, there is a lesson here about cleaning up corrupt practices associated with Saddam's Oil-For-Food bribes. Getting rid of Chirac is not too high a price to pay, is it?
Could the French have picked a more inappropriate time to whine about sour grapes? They ought to look at Jacqueass Chirac. Surely his bigoted comments couldn't have possibly alienated anyone that might have been inclined to support Paris, could it?
Last night on Nightline, George Stephanapoulos made the same insinuation.
I can't imagine why the French are whining about losing - their are the historical losers of all time - should be used to it by now..up yours Jacque - you f'in creep
Considering what's going on in London, this complaint by the French is in EXTREMELY POOR TASTE. But then again, this should not surprise anyone that the French pulled this.
I realize this was written before today's attack, but to paraphrase Chirac, the French are missing an excellent opportunity to shut the heck up.
Maybe foppish France should charge England to a dual with lace hankerchiefs.
Take that! and that!
Interesting. Here I thought the Iraq war was a unilateral war.
The French havecompletely overlooked the reality that Chirac acting like and arrogant ass on the world stage the past two plus years probably dealt the eventual death blow to their cause.
Chirac is on a roll--all downhill.
If Chirac comments just effected TWO of the 104 votes, it cost them the Olympics.
Our state of mind was really appropriate to sport and the Olympic spirit. Other things brought London victory but I am not sure they are to do with sport."
LOL... How could the British ever prevail over the French "state of mind"?
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