2012 Olympics - French

[Ian H]

Under the IOC’s guidelines for hosting the Games the main language for 2012 will be the sexy tongue spoken by our Gallic neighbours (French), with English finishing in second place.

Amongst other things agreed to by the folks who secured the bid for London, are the following diktats:

    * French will take precedence on all “billboards and pageantry” throughout the capital
    * At least 40,000 hotel rooms will be provided for IOC members, guest, dignitaries, lackeys, etc.
    * Residents of London will require “behaviour modification” (a process which has already begun)
    * Ambush marketing, as seen in this year’s World Cup, is strictly forbidden, but this also extends to visitors wearing garments that feature the logos of non-Olympic sponsors. This would include most football shirts, and is the reason that Boris bikes won’t be allowed in the Olympic Park during the games.
    * The Union Jack will be flown fifth in precedence, after the Olympic, London 2012, UN and Greek flags.

Weird - an Olympic Games in London with the first announcements at events being done in French ....  the things that people agree to in securing an event.

Also because I'm not familiar with \"Boris Bikes\":
Barclays Cycle Hire is a public bicycle sharing scheme that was launched on 30 July 2010 in London, United Kingdom. At launch there were 5,000 bicycles  and 315 docking stations available in central London.

The scheme is also informally called the Boris bike scheme after mayor Boris Johnson, who was in office at the time the scheme opened to the public. Johnson claims to have initiated the scheme, despite it being announced by his predecessor Ken Livingstone during his term in office.

[CusworthRovers]

I'm hoping that is a wind up......not the bikes, I have seen these little Barclays blue numbers all over London. That said, I would not ride round central London on a bike......death and I are old friends

[BillyStubbsTears]

Also because I'm not familiar with \"Boris Bikes\":

I thought Boris's Bike was that horsey journalist that he was shagging for half a decade whilst Editor of The Spectator.

Christ up above, but that lass must have been in dire need of an orgasm if she let him ferret about in her kecks.

[Dagenham Rover]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/8190503/London-2012-Olympics-to-be-held-in-French.html

[Ian H]

I heard it on Radio 2 ..... yes I'm old enough to listen to it ...

although I think the bit about \"producing the Queen\" sounds quite funny ... after all they did read the contract before they signed it, didn't they?

Other legally-binding requirements include providing at least 40,000 hotel rooms for IOC members etc, and producing the Queen for a \"ceremony planned by the IOC\" just before the games open, at which its members can all meet her.

[Filo]

I heard a report about it on the radio, apparently it`s going to cost the tax payer many thousands for these French signs, in these times of austerity I think it stinks, the UK should tell these people that the signs will be in English the native language, and if they don`t like it then they can piss off and have their running races somewhere else, like Paris where all the signs are already written in French! It could only happen in this country!

[Filo]

Ian H wrote:

    * Residents of London will require “behaviour modification” (a process which has already begun)

I think that refers to followers of a certain Football team in the Isle of Dogs  

[hoolahoop]

Filo wrote:

I heard a report about it on the radio, apparently it`s going to cost the tax payer many thousands for these French signs, in these times of austerity I think it stinks, the UK should tell these people that the signs will be in English the native language, and if they don`t like it then they can piss off and have their running races somewhere else, like Paris where all the signs are already written in French! It could only happen in this country!

The Olympics have always used French as the first language even when it was in Athens. Many signs in all French cities are also written in English, can't see the problem with it myself.
However the freebies are way over the top, this lot are as good as FIFA at blagging a free dinner and bed.