NEWS

Paris back in favor with 2004

Six months after attacking the French Institute in Athens for appearing to criticize, in a language exam question, the Greek capital’s selection to host the 2004 Olympics, the Games organizing committee yesterday told France’s ambassador it had no plans to boycott his language at Olympic venues. «Athens 2004 has taken all necessary measures to promote French during the Games,» organizing committee chief Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki told journalists after meeting with French Ambassador Bruno Delaye. «Our cooperation with the French Embassy and the French Institute is very good.» Delaye said he had requested the meeting after reading press reports that implied French would have a secondary role during the Games. «This had caused something of an upheaval,» he said. «But [Angelopoulos-Daskalaki] just assured me that there is no such issue.» In late May, Athens 2004 had threatened to sabotage Paris’s bid to host the 2012 Games after a French Institute exam included a discussion of whether «it is ridiculous to hold the 2004 Olympics in Athens.»

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