This prestigious award, France’s highest order of merit, recognises President Bach’s outstanding achievements in the remarkable success of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. These history-making Games, which were modern, inclusive and had an unprecedented global impact, delivered on the ambitions of the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020 and ushered in a new era for Olympism.
In his address, President Macron said:
"Dear Thomas, on 14 September, you presented the Olympic Cup to the people of France. Three months later, it is the French people who are honouring you for your commitment, your sense of excellence, your friendship, and your vision of sport, which is sport for the people, democratised and inclusive – sport as a school of life, sport that does not separate people, sport that educates and brings people together and that can do so many things. Sport and Games for all.
"Your election as President of the IOC launched 11 years of Herculean work, 11 years of extolling the ideals of Olympism, 11 years in the role of conductor, executing Olympic Agenda 2020, focusing on the athletes, harmonising, tuning, promoting more polyphonic, more responsible, sustainable and diverse Games, and ultimately, more human Games. Ones that, under your leadership, pursue an ambition for peace. The International Olympic Committee is also a diplomatic vision, with which France identifies very closely, with a desire for something shared and universal.
"Your personal commitment to promoting multilateralism, respect between peoples and peace must be commended. You have done everything an IOC president could do in these troubled times to try to secure peace, to secure the possibility of those moments of truce that the Games can offer.
"With you, the word of the IOC has been its bond; and Olympism will always have France by its side to uphold our common ideals and protect the autonomy and unity of the international sports movement.
"Throughout your terms of office, from Rio to Tokyo and Paris, from the COVID years to the return of war, you successfully gave the whole world something to celebrate, brought thousands of people together around a common magic, shared emotion and a rediscovered sense of pride. Making the Games beneficial was probably your biggest accomplishment of all.
"You were able to resolutely adapt Olympism to the new realities and aspirations of sport.
"2024 marked your final Games as IOC President. And it was a happy coincidence, given that you are a great friend of France, that these Games were held in our country. The world will forever remember those magnificent scenes at the Opening Ceremony on the Seine, the music, the victories earned through sweat and tears, the turmoil of Advent, the adrenaline of self-betterment and the joy of triumph. This summer, you made a country proud of itself.
"You are an Olympic champion, a skilled fencer, a diligent lawyer, a German and a keen Europeanist, and it is probably this perfect combination that enabled you to lead the IOC so magnificently. You are leaving it in the best possible shape, and somewhat in mourning too. But in the spirit of the institution and its best interests, you decided to pass on your work.”
The award ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Michel Barnier, several ministers and former ministers, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Paris 2024 Organising Committee President Tony Estanguet, representatives from the French authorities, and numerous personalities from the world of sport, politics and culture, celebrating the historic cooperation between the IOC and France.
Speaking after the ceremony, President Bach said: “I am deeply honoured to receive this distinction. I share it with all my colleagues and friends in the IOC and the Olympic Movement. It also celebrates the collective success of the Paris 2024 Games and the IOC’s universal mission to bring the world together in peaceful competition. These Games showcased the transformative power of sport, creating a culture of peace based on the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship. They will leave a long-term sporting, social and environmental legacy in France.”
He went on to thank President Macron and the people of France: “I would like to sincerely thank President Macron and the French nation for their trust, their unwavering commitment to the Olympic ideal and their exceptional welcome.”
The IOC President was accompanied by IOC Members Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant, Chair of the IOC’s Paris 2024 Coordination Commission; David Lappartient, President of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF); Jean-Christophe Rolland; and Martin Fourcade; as well as IOC Director General Christophe De Kepper.
A tribute to a bold Olympic vision
The Paris 2024 Games, which were the most followed of all time, marked a turning point for the Olympic Movement. Under the leadership of President Bach, Olympic Agenda 2020 made the Games younger, more urban and more sustainable, with gender parity achieved on the field of play for the first time.
From the candidature phase, Paris 2024 embodied this innovative vision, working closely with the IOC to organise inspiring Games that reached more than five billion people around the world. The Organising Committee’s ambition and creativity led to a historic event that brought people together and gave them hope, meeting the aspirations of a global society looking for meaning and unity.
The Légion d’Honneur: a prestigious distinction
Created in 1802 by Napoléon Bonaparte, the Légion d’Honneur is awarded to individuals, from France or abroad, who have rendered outstanding services to the nation or embody ideals of excellence in a number of fields. With this decoration, France is paying tribute to the positive impact of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, under the leadership of President Bach, and their long-term legacy for sport and society.
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