The curtain will fall on Sunday February 23 on the Sochi Winter Games. Was French, the official language of the Olympic movement, given its rightful place in the event? The analysis of an expert, Audrey Delacroix, commissioner for the French language in the Olympic Games at the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF).
FrancsJeux: Was the French language well treated at the Sochi Games?
Audrey Delacroix: Orally, certainly. During the official ceremonies, particularly the medal ceremonies, presentations were made first in French, then in English and Russian. We also heard French first on the competition sites for everything that was protocol. On the other hand, the analysis is more nuanced with regard to the animation of the tests. The situation varied greatly from one site to another. The Frenchman was present in biathlon, short track, skeleton, Nordic combined, and downhill alpine skiing, to name just a few examples. But the figure skating host did not speak French.
Thomas Bach and Dmitry Chernyshenko, respectively presidents of the IOC and the Organizing Committee of the Sochi Games, spoke in French in their speech at the opening ceremony. Is this a strong sign?
Yes. For the first time, an organizing committee president spoke in French at the opening of a Games not contested in a French-speaking country. He didn't have to. In Beijing in 2008, then in London in 2012, his predecessors had done so only in their language. It must be seen as a signal sent to French-speaking people and the Olympic family.
And Thomas Bach?
He follows tradition for his first opening speech. It is important. He was not content with a short sentence in French, but he chose this language to evoke positive and meaningful subjects. In Beijing, the French part of Jacques Rogge's speech focused on an appeal to athletes not to take drugs.
The IOC spokesperson, Mark Adams, spoke during a press conference of a letter received by Thomas Bach concerning the place of French at the Games...
There have been two letters on this question. The first was sent by Abdou Diouf, the Secretary General of La Francophonie, a few days before the start of the Games. He wanted to alert the IOC and its president of the worrying situation of French at the Winter Games, because we had received feedback from Sochi indicating certain fears. The second letter was sent to Thomas Bach, Dmitry Chernyshenko and Jean-Claude Killy by Hélène Carrère d'Encausse, Great Witness of the Francophonie at the Sochi Games, to express her satisfaction with the good performance of French at the ceremony. opening.
What is the situation like at the Rio Summer Games in 2016?
A first meeting on this issue took place with the Brazilian organizers in 2012. Since then, our contacts and exchanges have been regular. They are very proactive in actively collaborating with the OIF on the place of French at the Games, and even beyond the event. Brazilian youth are indeed showing a desire to learn foreign languages. We will help them develop their communication in French. A young French-speaking person will go to Brazil to run their website and social networks in French. And we will take advantage of the International Day of the Francophonie, March 20, 2015, to set up activities in French with the Brazilian organizers.
