An Olympic effect? With the Paris 2024 Games less than a year away, and Brisbane 2032 nine years away, sporting relations between France and Australia have never been stronger. The French Ministry of Sport and Olympic and Paralympic Games has announced the signing of a new “declaration of intent” between the two countries. It aims to increase sporting cooperation. Initialled on the Australian side by the Minister for Aged Care and Sport, Anika Wells, and on the French side by the Minister for Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, the document will “encourage greater cooperation between the two nations“, following the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, in the run-up to the 2027 Men’s and 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cups in Australia, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024 and Brisbane in 2032. The range of activities is very broad, from the organization of major sporting events and the reduction of the environmental impact of sports infrastructures, to the promotion of the sports industry in both nations, sports ethics, the fight against doping and corruption, sports science research and the promotion of women’s sport and parasport. Australia and France are also committed to sharing their expertise in performance support, training and coaching, including for young athletes and officials. The agreement signed this week by Anika Wells and Amélie Oudéa-Castéra is not the first of its kind between the two countries. INSEP paved the way last year by renewing its memorandum of understanding with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra. The two National Olympic Committees – CNOSF for France and AOC for Australia – also joined forces last spring, signing a cooperation agreement.
