Photo: IOC/Greg Martin.
Fifty years ago, on July 17, 1976, the Montreal Games The Games officially opened at the Olympic Stadium. This is the only edition of the Summer Olympics to have been held in Canada to date. Thomas Bach, honorary president of the IOC, shared his thoughts on these Games on the occasion of this anniversary.
« In hindsight, we realize today that it wasn't simply a question of costs or debt. Canada made a very good investment. Once the Games were over, Montreal found itself with lasting advantages. : the Olympic Park, the Olympic Village, the Olympic Stadium " he emphasizes on the Canadian Olympic Committee website.
Bach was in Montreal that summer because he had won the gold medal with the German foil team. Today, Montreal and Canada are recognized as prime hosts for major international sporting events. This year you will host the UCI Road World Championships (in September), as well as many other events. All of this is part of the legacy of these Games, which helped establish Canada as one of the world's leading organizers of international sporting events. He adds.
Montreal will host the third stage of the Olympic qualifying series for Los Angeles 2028From June 1st to 4th, 2028, the program will feature beach volleyball, BMX freestyle, flag football, and skateboarding. And the idea of a... new Olympic bid is not excluded.
« We are not unaware of the importance of hosting the Olympic Games in Canada., explained David Shoemaker, CEO of the COC, in February. It's something we really want to doThis would help us achieve several different objectives. In particular, obtaining investments in our infrastructureThis is something we desperately need. Hosting the Games encourages young people to participate in sports. It continues to secure the private investment we rely on so heavily, and it unites the country around hosting the Games. There's nothing else like it. "The idea of a Montreal-Toronto bid was specifically mentioned."
