French Sports Minister Celebrates Olympic-Driven Successes Ahead of Paris 2024

On August 4, 2025, French Sports Minister Marie Barsacq lauded the recent successes of French athletes, attributing much of this momentum to the approaching Paris 2024 Olympics. In an interview on RTL, she highlighted a remarkable week for French sports, which included the nation securing eight medals at the swimming world championships, a celebrated yellow jersey victory by French women at the Tour de France Femmes, and Renaud Lavillenie's impressive win in a national pole vaulting title.

Barsacq remarked on the significance of these achievements, stating, "I think it’s an effect of the Olympics in its broadest sense." She emphasized that this success is a result of a robust mobilization within the sports community as the country prepares for the upcoming Games. The Minister pointed out, "There has been strong mobilization across the sports movement to prepare for the Games, which is now having effects on all disciplines."

Additionally, Barsacq noted the growing investments in high-level sports, indicating that such financial commitment is yielding tangible results. "Today, France is a country that counts on the sports scene," she said, reflecting confidence in the nation's standing in international sports.

Looking forward, Barsacq also mentioned the Winter Olympics in 2030, indicating a strategy that not only focuses on immediate results but also sets the stage for future competitions. The positive 'Olympics effect' appears to have galvanized not just individual athletes, but the collective ambition of French sports as a whole.