Like the United Kingdom and Japan, French sport dreams of entering a new dimension by hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2024. While French athletes have already surpassed the number of medals of previous Olympic Games, the question of the sporting heritage of the Olympic Games remains central. For the senators of the Culture, Education and Sport Committee, even if it will have to wait until the end of the Olympic Games, the support of French athletes in their preparation is a success. It remains to be seen whether the State's commitment will be sustained.

The success of supporting high-level athletes

“For the moment, it's been impeccable, we can only be satisfied with it, the question of the legacy of the Olympic Games for sports policies is central,” says Laurent Lafon, senator of the Centrist Union and president of the Committee on Culture, Education and Sport. Since 2016 and the creation of the National Sports Agency (ANS), the “Blue Ambition” programme has provided support, notably financial, to several hundred top-level athletes.

Starting from the observation of a sporting model in difficulty, the programme, launched in October 2020, made it possible to guarantee a guaranteed income of up to 40,000 euros gross per year. “The first lesson is that the measures implemented at the level of the ANS are profitable, the athletes seem to have benefited from the support of the State and were able to concentrate on the preparation of the Olympic Games,” says Michel Savin, senator for Isère and LR leader on sports issues. In 2024, the ANS was able to count on a budget of 114 million euros, an increase of 68% compared to 2023, for the “high performance” programme. “We must maintain this momentum. For certain sports, the Olympic Games are the only window of exposure, which should make it possible to bring people closer to less publicised sports,” considers Michel Savin.

“The enthusiasm generated by the Olympic Games, which are truly popular, should facilitate access to sport”

One of the main benefits could be related to membership of sports clubs and the increase in the number of licensees. As the federations cannot count on the economic benefits of the Olympic Games, “the main support comes from the increase in the number of club members and the payment of contributions,” recalls Laurent Lafon. “The enthusiasm aroused by the Olympic Games, which are truly popular, must facilitate access to sport,” continues the senator. Beyond reinforcing high-level performance, the organisation of the Olympic Games must also encourage the practice of sport throughout France. The senators will also give their opinion on the importance of the Olympic Games in the sporting world. Report on sports practice at school in September.

A long-term investment?

“The State must now follow suit in the long term and maintain its support at the federation level,” says Michel Savin. The issues of access to sports infrastructure and its development remain central. Indeed, 82.3% of sports equipment belongs to local authorities.In particular, municipalities are required to make a real effort at this level. These facilities are what allow people to discover sport and encourage physical activity. But for the moment, the government has decided to freeze 50% of the funds allocated to the construction of sports facilities,” says Michel Savin. Initially, a budget of 50 million was intended to support local authorities in the construction of structural facilities such as gyms, swimming pools and synthetic fields. The budget, which has been reduced to 25 million euros for 2024, could prove insufficient to build the 5,000 additional facilities planned under the “Generation 2024” plan.