Olympics won’t be affected by French politicking – Samuda
Published:Thursday | June 13, 2024 | 12:12 AMOrane Buchanan/Staff Reporter
WHILE CHRISTOPHER Samuda, president of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), believes French president Emmanuel Macron’s decision to call a snap election, weeks before the start of the Olympic Games, is a bid to use the event for political gain, he doesn’t think there will be an impact.
“Politics and politicking must never enter sport, and without an ascribing motive, the snap elections at the call of French President (Emmanuel) Macron may very well give that impression of a political directorate taking advantage of the feel-good that comes with an Olympic spectacle,” said Samuda.
Macron, earlier this week, announced that the two-round parliamentary elections are set for June 30 and July 7, with the Paris Olympics scheduled to commence two weeks later on July 26.
While Samuda believes the Olympic Games will still be the spectacle that brings out the best in athletes from around the globe, he is mindful of the impact on the French electorate.
“It may be the hope that it will be a distraction that will facilitate a low voter turnout, which customarily favours the incumbent party. Whatever the interpretation, the Olympic Games will be the Olympic Games come what may. However, there will be risks if party supporters become overzealous, polls are disputed, and political conversations and actions become verbal and physical abuses,” he said.
However, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach downplayed the noise being made around Macron’s announcement as he suggested that it is nothing strange for the country to head to the polls.
“I have no indications, whatsoever, that this unity will break now, just before the Games open. France is used to holding elections, and they will do it once again. There will be a new parliament, a new government, and everybody will support the Olympic Games,” said Bach.
Samuda doubled down on his stance that he is not in agreement with the timing of the announcement, saying that the results of the elections may have long-lasting effects on the people of France.
“Wrong timing for the Games but, perhaps, a strategic timing to politically court the electorate and to navigate political fortunes, and hopefully not, if the subculture which prevailed in the aftermath of the 2020 American elections becomes common place, it may very well be, for some, game over,” Samuda explained.