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CNN Live At Daybreak

International Olympic Committee to Pick Site of 2008 Summer Games This Week

Aired July 10, 2001 - 08:25   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Three days and counting. On Friday the International Olympic Committee will meet to pick the site of the 2008 summer games.

COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: That's right, five

(AUDIO GAP)

MCEDWARDS: ... and Toronto. We took a look at Beijing yesterday and today it's Paris where the city is claiming advantages in facilities and finances as well.

LIN: Will the city of lights capture the Olympic gold for the 2008 games? More now from our Paris bureau chief Peter Humi.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETER HUMI, CNN PARIS BUREAU CHIEF CORRESPONDENT: "Oui Paris": The campaign ad for the games of 2008.

CLAUDE BEBEAR, PARIS 2008 BID PRESIDENT: You have to consider one thing. What is the best offer for the athletes first. Secondly, what is the best offer for the visiting people and third, what is the best offer for the people watching their TV.

HUMI: And according to the bid committee, Paris already has 60 percent of all the sites required to stage the modern games. As to what needs to be built, graphic artists have been hard at work.

Some of Paris' better known landmarks will be adapted temporarily to accommodate some of the events.

BEBEAR: Some of the views are exceptional now, jumping in front of Les Invalides, fencing in La Grand Palais, The Eiffel Tower, you will have the beach volley. You will have the marathon going from one monument to another monument. You will have cycling on the Champs- Elysees and around the Etoile, which is something nobody can offer.

HUMI: In fact, say the organizers, the games would with the exception of the sailing, all be held within greater Paris. An efficient transport system already exists and will be improved, allowing easy access to the various sites for athletes and spectators alike. As to finance, the French say they've got plenty. Most of the estimated $3.3 billion it will cost to prepare and stage the games will come from sponsors and private business. The rest from the French taxpayer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to only be for people who make big bucks about it, and as people in Paris, I won't take any advantage in that, so I don't really care.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It has to be Paris. It's good for France. It's good for us.

HUMI: Paris would seem to be the perfect choice if it weren't for one thing -- recent Olympic history.

(on camera): Paris hasn't staged the summer Olympics since 1924, but Athens Greece is the site for the games of 2004, which might put paid to Paris' bid for 2008.

(voice-over): Ever since 1952, no two consecutive summer Olympics have been held on the same continent.

BEBEAR: Bejing had the Olympics in 1984, which is very recent. France has been part of the Olympics since the beginning.

HUMI: And has been trying to stage the summer games, so far without success, for more than a decade.

Peter Humi, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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