https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed France said on Friday it was "greatly concerned" about the International Olympic Committee's decision to introduce gender testing to determine eligibility for the female category, saying it was a "step backwards". https://www.thelocal.fr/20260327/france-calls-new-olympic-gender-testing-a-step-backwards Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:55:30 +0100 france-calls-new-olympic-gender-testing-a-step-backwards The 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps, already bedevilled by several senior executives quitting, faces another potential headache with the election of far-right politician Eric Ciotti as mayor of Nice. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260324/new-nice-mayor-poses-a-real-problem-for-2030-winter-olympics Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:54:37 +0100 new-nice-mayor-poses-a-real-problem-for-2030-winter-olympics The chief executive of the 2030 Winter Olympics organising committee (Cojop) in the French Alps has stepped down after a serious falling out with the president Edgar Grospiron, it was announced on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260225/french-chief-executive-of-2030-olympic-games-becomes-latest-director-to-quit Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:55:37 +0100 french-chief-executive-of-2030-olympic-games-becomes-latest-director-to-quit Paris 2024 Olympics organisers should "stay calm and focused" despite riots sweeping France just over a year before the games, Hugh Robertson, a British former minister responsible for London 2012, told AFP. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230701/stay-calm-london-2012-organiser-advises-paris-olympics-chiefs-amid-riots Sat, 01 Jul 2023 18:26:24 +0200 stay-calm-london-2012-organiser-advises-paris-olympics-chiefs-amid-riots Paris Olympics security coordinatorwhas resigned following his suspension for alleged "inappropriate behaviour" towards a woman, officials said Sunday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230611/paris-olympics-security-chief-resigns-over-inappropriate-conduct Sun, 11 Jun 2023 15:21:46 +0200 paris-olympics-security-chief-resigns-over-inappropriate-conduct The Paralympics is full of stories of disabled athletes overcoming the odds to achieve sporting greatness but few bear the trauma of Jean-Baptiste Alaize. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200828/the-french-paralympic-star-who-survived-war-grief-and-mutilation Fri, 28 Aug 2020 12:06:06 +0200 the-french-paralympic-star-who-survived-war-grief-and-mutilation The French government on Monday launched construction on a massive project to build from scratch the village for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, a development that aims to reinvigorate the poorest area in the country. https://www.thelocal.fr/20191104/frances-launches-building-of-the-olympic-village-for-2024-paris-games Mon, 04 Nov 2019 16:07:13 +0100 frances-launches-building-of-the-olympic-village-for-2024-paris-games A Paris suburb 175 kilometres from the sea has joined two famous beach resorts in bidding to host surfing at the 2024 Olympics. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190404/paris-suburb-175km-from-sea-bids-to-host-surfing-at-olympics Thu, 04 Apr 2019 10:42:06 +0200 paris-suburb-175km-from-sea-bids-to-host-surfing-at-olympics Dancers executing backflips and freezes, gyros and headspins with gravity-defying agility in front of an adoring audience - welcome to the world breakdance championships. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190224/paris-gets-in-breakdance-groove-ahead-of-2024-olympic-bow Sun, 24 Feb 2019 16:32:28 +0100 paris-gets-in-breakdance-groove-ahead-of-2024-olympic-bow Breakdancing is set to make its debut as an Olympic sport at Paris 2024, the head of the local organising committee said Thursday, whilst members of the public will be able to race the marathon course for the first time. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190221/paris-olympics-marathon-race-to-be-open-to-the-public Thu, 21 Feb 2019 14:24:17 +0100 paris-olympics-marathon-race-to-be-open-to-the-public The head of Japan's Olympic Committee has been charged in Paris for "active corruption" in connection with the awarding of the 2020 Olympics to Tokyo, a judicial official told AFP. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190112/japanese-olympic-chief-indicted-in-france-for-corruption Sat, 12 Jan 2019 12:07:39 +0100 japanese-olympic-chief-indicted-in-france-for-corruption Barely six months after Paris was picked to host the 2024 Olympics and more than six years before those Games are scheduled to open, French budgetary watchdogs are warning of cost overruns. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180315/french-watchdogs-sound-the-alarm-on-paris-olympics-spending Thu, 15 Mar 2018 10:05:57 +0100 french-watchdogs-sound-the-alarm-on-paris-olympics-spending Martin Fourcade became the most decorated French athlete in Olympic history on Tuesday as he helped his country to gold in the biathlon mixed relay in Pyeongchang. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180220/fourcade-wins-record-fifth-olympic-gold-for-france Tue, 20 Feb 2018 15:56:22 +0100 fourcade-wins-record-fifth-olympic-gold-for-france Tearful French figure skater Gabriella Papadakis called it her "worst nightmare" after she suffered an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction on Monday in the Olympic ice dance competition. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180219/tearful-french-ice-skater-describes-nightmare-olympic-dress-mishap Mon, 19 Feb 2018 10:34:16 +0100 tearful-french-ice-skater-describes-nightmare-olympic-dress-mishap President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday hailed the decision to award the 2024 Olympics to Paris as a 'victory for France'. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170914/paris-2024-olympics-a-victory-for-france-says-macron Thu, 14 Sep 2017 11:41:32 +0200 paris-2024-olympics-a-victory-for-france-says-macron Paris will host the Olympic Games after the International Olympic Committee decided to pick both Los Angeles and the French capital as host cities for the 2024 and 2028 Summer Games. Paris is favourite to hold the Games in 2024. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170711/paris-olympics-2024-bid-los-angeles Tue, 11 Jul 2017 21:35:18 +0200 paris-olympics-2024-bid-los-angeles French President Emmanuel Macron tried his hand at sports including boxing and wheelchair tennis to support Paris' bid to host the 2024 Olympics on Saturday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170625/olympics-french-president-shows-game-side-to-support-paris-2024 Sun, 25 Jun 2017 11:16:24 +0200 olympics-french-president-shows-game-side-to-support-paris-2024 Parisians have been invited to try out 30 Olympic sports as the French capital tries to convince officials it is the perfect city to host the 2024 Olympics. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170623/parisians-enjoy-two-days-of-olympics-fun-as-citys-iconic-landmarks-transform-into-sports-venues Fri, 23 Jun 2017 15:17:46 +0200 parisians-enjoy-two-days-of-olympics-fun-as-citys-iconic-landmarks-transform-into-sports-venues A collective of associations aimed at passionately preserving the French language will legally challenge the Paris 2024 Olympic bid slogan for using "the language of Donald Trump", their lawyer has revealed. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170217/trump-language-french-language-lovers-sue-over-english-slogan-for-paris-olympics Fri, 17 Feb 2017 14:58:29 +0100 trump-language-french-language-lovers-sue-over-english-slogan-for-paris-olympics The decision to adopt an English slogan for Paris' bid to host the 2024 Olympics was likened on Thursday to a pizza promotion by the body charged with preserving the purity of the French language. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170217/english-slogan-for-paris-2024-olympics-sounds-like-a-pizza-ad Fri, 17 Feb 2017 09:23:39 +0100 english-slogan-for-paris-2024-olympics-sounds-like-a-pizza-ad