As the curtain closes on Paris 2024, it is tempting to focus only on the number of medals won. However, the real stakes go beyond individual and collective sporting performances. The very essence of the Games lies in what they leave behind, in this legacy that must continue to inspire society as a whole. For this great sporting celebration to continue, it is crucial that not only athletes benefit from the benefits of sport, but society as a whole.
The legacy of the Games is not limited to the infrastructure built for the occasion, such as the stadiums or the Olympic Villages. It also encompasses intangible dimensions such as the promotion of the values of Olympism, the development of sports practice and the improvement of social cohesion. The LA84 Foundation, created after the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984, has enabled more than 4 million young people to practice sport thanks to a deferral of funding and a desire to share it with the city and its citizens, thus illustrating the capacity of the Games to generate a lasting impact.
