PARIS: President Emmanuel Macron launched the 200-day countdown for the Paris 2024 Olympics on Monday, urging the French public to get more involved in sports as the country prepares to host the Summer Games for the first time in 100 years.

“It’s in 200 days and it starts now. That’s why we have a major national cause this year: sport,” Macron, posing next to a punchbag, with gloves on his shoulder and a bit of sweat on his forehead, said in a video posted on social media platform X, previously known as Twitter.

“Sport at school. As you know, we’ve made 30 minutes of sport compulsory for all elementary school pupils, we’ve added more sport in secondary school and I invite you all to do at least 30 minutes of sport every day, I hope more if you can.”

Macron also highlighted other goals France had set for the Games.

“France will be hosting the most carbon-free Olympic and Paralympic Games in history, green Games that comply with the Paris (climate) agreements,” he said.

“We’re going to host gender parity Games, with as many female athletes as male. We’ll have some exceptional delegations of Olympic and Paralympic athletes and, I hope, a lot of French medals.”

Officials in Macron’s office said the government had already met the target it set in 2017 to have three million more people exercising regularly, and was now aiming for another three million by 2027.

The Olympics will be held from July 26-Aug 11

with the Paralympics being staged from Aug 28-Sept 8.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2024