The invitation came from the two co-Presidents of the High-Level Athletes' Committee under the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF), Sandra Dimbour and David Douillet. In response, nearly one hundred athletes, Olympic champions and world champions gathered Friday, in CNOSF's headquarters.

Among the attendees were the bid funding members, Bertrand Delanoë, Jean-François Lamour, Jean-Paul Huchon and Henri Sérandour, along with International Olympic Committee members Alain Danet, Guy Drut and Maurice Herzog.

A first call to support

Philippe Baudillon, Paris 2012 CEO and Essar Gabriel, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer, presented the project in full. Olivier Lenglet and Thierry Rey, the Olympic champions in charge of relations with the sporting world on behalf of Paris 2012, also launched the first call to support.

And this call was heard! The athletes present signed a statement of commitment, asserting their determination to support the Paris 2012 bid with “strength, perseverance and loyalty”.

The French sporting movement, as embodied by the athletes, is one of the natural pillars bolstering the desire to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012, in Paris .

On 16 January 2004 , Paris 2012 had presented its project to elected officials and the press, at a ceremony held at the Eiffel Tower.