POSTED: March 20th 2011

NewsUpdate

Drut is key figure in promoting our 2018 cause, insists Annecy boss

Guy Drut: French IOC member / lake images

KEIR RADNEDGE / Sports Features Communications

LONDON/MARRAKESH: Charles Beigbeder has sought to dispel concerns over disagreements with French IOC member Guy Drut over the at the heart of the Annecy 2018 campaign.

As leaders of the French bid undertake a global promotional tour - taking them from Marrakesh to Seoul and on to New Caledonia, Annecy 2018 president Beigbeder spoke out in support of Drut.

Beigbeder, Beigbeder, vice-president Jean-Pierre Vidal and Drut, president of the International Bureau, had been in Morocco for the Africa International Sports Convention (CISA).

Earlier last week Drut had become caught up in a controversial debate about the bid and its personalities.

Beigbeder, however, insisted: "Guy Drut is one of the key figures involved with Annecy 2018 and has given the team important support throughout the campaign.  He is a passionate competitor who wants to win and his recent comments reflect this.

"As a team we are doing all we can to make this bid a success and will continue to work tirelessly between now and the final decision in Durban.

"Since the IOC visit in February we have moved into the international phase of the campaign and concentrated our efforts in two main areas: travelling around the world to meet with members of the Olympic Family and planning for the major events ahead such as SportAccord [in London in April] and the bidding presentations in Lausanne [to the IOC in May].

"Guy will be at the heart of our efforts throughout this campaign and in fact we have spoken in the last 24 hours about our ongoing plans.

Beigbeder and Drut pressed their case at the African International Sports Convention in Marrakesh this weekend then go on to the International Sports Press Association Congress in Seoul followed by the Oceania National Olympic Committees annual general assembly in Noumea.

He added: "We believe passionately in our concept of an authentic Games in the heart of the mountains that would benefit Winter Sports everywhere. All of our team including the National Olympic Committee, Sports Ministry, bidding committee and athlete ambassadors will be doing all they can to help us share this vision with members of the Olympic Family all over the world."

Keywords · Annecy 2018 · Beigbeder · Drut · 2018 Winter Olympics

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