Paris, September 17, 2004 – Ninety Two percent of French people believe the Olympics would have a positive impact on France if the Games were awarded to Paris in 2012, according to the findings of the latest French public opinion poll.

 

Paris 2012 commissioned independent research company, TNS Sofres, to conduct the poll on September 3 and 4, 2004. A sample of 600 Parisians, 800 people from the Ile-de-France region and 1000 people from greater France were interviewed.

 

Phillipe Baudillon, Chief Executive Officer of Paris 2012, believes that the poll results provide a massive boost for the Paris 2012 bid. "Paris 2012 has worked very hard to share its Olympic aspirations and awaken "L’Amour des Jeux" within the people of France. The recent success of the Athens 2004 Olympics may have further boosted French enthusiasm for the Games. We are thrilled to see that the French public are confident about the benefits that the Games would have on our country, and are unified in their support for our Bid to bring the 2012 Olympics to Paris," he said.

 

Other highlights of the poll include:

• 90% of French people are aware that Paris is bidding for the 2012 Games – showing an increase in awareness of 9 points since July, 2004

• 75% of Parisians, 81% of people in Ile-de-France and 79% of the French are in favour of Paris hosting the 2012 Games, showing an increase of 1, 4 and 6 points respectively since July, 2004

• Areas that the French public (92%) believe would be impacted positively by the Games include: Taxes; Tourism; planning and development of the Ile-de-France region; employment; economic growth; the environment; the practice of sport in France and the international image of France.