In Rio de Janeiro, the question of languages is now topical. The organizing committee for the 2016 Games has launched a call for tenders for the recruitment of announcers who will be required, in August and September 2016, to make official announcements and comments at the competition venues of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Frenchman Christophe Sevessand officiated at the Vancouver Games in 2010, then at those in London in 2012, and more recently at Sochi in 2014. He explained to FrancsJeux the contours of the function, and its implications for the place of the French language in international sport.
FrancsJeux: The Rio Games organizing committee has just launched a procedure to recruit advertisers for the 2016 Games. What is it?
Christophe Sevessand: Since the Summer Games in Sydney in 2000, then those of the Winter Games two years later in Salt Lake City, there is no longer a single organizing committee that has not had a department dedicated to the presentation of sport. and winners' ceremonies, including official announcers. That of Rio will be no exception. A call for tenders has just been launched, via a Brazilian recruitment agency, Vagas. In London, in 2012, the official advertisers were around thirty French speakers on all sites. In Rio de Janeiro, the “Sport presentation” department should number around 170 people.
What does this function consist of in the Olympic Games?
It is twofold. On the one hand, an advertiser must read the written announcements intended for the public on the Games sites. On the other hand, he is required to provide commentary on the tests in his working language. On certain sports, such as athletics, cycling, triathlon, these comments are made in the moment. For others, team sports or judging disciplines, such as gymnastics, the announcer must wait for timeouts, the end of the match or session. But he can also, thanks to technology, speak to the public via an earpiece.
At the Rio de Janeiro Games, what languages will be used for announcements?
In Sochi, where I was producer of the biathlon events, I received a surprise visit from two people from the IOC. They wanted to know what languages would be used on the site. I replied that the rule would be respected: French, then English, and thirdly the language of the country, therefore Russian. In this order. It will normally be the same next year at the Rio Games: French, English then Portuguese.
Who is the call for tenders launched by the Rio Games organizing committee aimed at?
On paper, to as many people as possible. But a network of specialists in French announcements was formed, starting in the fall of 2013, at the initiative of Audrey Delacroix at the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF). Its objective was to constitute a group of people identified and trained for this function. The more of us there are, the stronger we will be. By offering the organizers a team of qualified French speakers, we can not only guarantee a good presence of the French language at the Games, but also maintain know-how.
Is this a paid position?
Yes. At the Games, official announcers are not volunteers. A contract is signed with the organizing committee. It begins a week before the opening ceremony, ends at the end of the event, but it can extend to the Paralympic Games.
Are the Brazilians behind in recruiting advertisers, as they are in building certain sites?
I wouldn't say they are late. Their call for tenders comes around the same time for the Vancouver or Sochi Games. But the British had worked much further in advance for the London Games in 2012. I had responded to the call for applications in November 2010. They had provided a comfort zone to be able to carefully choose people and train them on the test events. In Rio, this comfort zone will not exist.
