International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (C) poses for photos with Anne Hidalgo (L), Mayor of Paris, and Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles, at the 131st IOC session in Lima, Peru, on Sept. 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Luis Camacho)
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed Paris and Los Angeles as the Summer Olympics host cities for 2024 and 2028 respectively, through a vote by a show of hands on Wednesday in Lima, Peru.
"Congratulations to Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028! This historic double allocation is a 'win-win-win' situation for the city of Paris, the city of Los Angeles and the IOC," said the IOC President, Thomas Bach.
"It is hard to imagine something better. Ensuring the stability of the Olympic Games for the athletes of the world for the next 11 years is something extraordinary," Bach commented.
After the announcement, representatives from the two host cities, the IOC and President Bach signed official contracts for the Olympic Games, respectively.
Celebrating the decision in jubilance, Paris and Los Angeles both expressed their excitement in bringing home the Olympic Games.
"Today I am delighted to invite you to join the great family of Parisians, a family which belongs to the world," said the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo.
"Bringing the Olympics back home to LA gives us the chance to imagine what our city will look like a decade from now," said Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles.
According to a previous Tripartite Agreement reached by the two cities and the IOC in July, Paris would be candidate for hosting the 2024 Olympics Games and Los Angeles for hosting the 2028 edition.
The idea of the agreement came to light after a working group of IOC Vice-Presidents studied the possibility of a double allocation of the Olympic Games 2024 and 2028. The working group was set up in March 2017.
"These are two great cities from two great countries with a great Olympic history. Both cities are very enthusiastic about the Games and are promoting the Olympic spirit in a fantastic way," said Bach.
The IOC decision in Lima has made both the two cities three-time Summer Olympics hosts as Paris hosted the games in 1900 and 1924 and Los Angeles hosted the games in 1932 and 1984.
