This Monday, Marie Barsacq was appointed Minister of Sports in the government of Prime Minister François Bayrou, succeeding Gil Avérous. Barsacq, recognized for her role as director of Impact and Legacy at the Organizing Committee of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, makes the leap to politics thanks to her experience in the promotion of sport.

During his tenure at Paris 2024, Barsacq promoted initiatives to encourage physical activity among the French, most notably the implementation of 30 minutes of daily sport in primary schools, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. This measure sought to combat sedentary lifestyles and promote healthy habits from an early age. The French government, thanks to this type of measures, has given him its particular ‘gold medal’ by granting him the possibility of continuing to improve the health and quality of life of the French people with a relevant position.

SCHOOL SPORTS AND OTHER OBJECTIVES

Barsacq has strengthened the approach of seeing sport as a tool for social cohesion. Under his leadership, projects were developed that facilitated access to sport in urban and rural areas, promoting inclusion and equal opportunities.

In addition, continuing with the International Olympic Committee’s missive, she also fulfilled in Paris 2024 its commitment to sustainability, where measures were implemented to minimize environmental impact and promoted environmentally friendly practices.

As Minister of Sports, Barsacq will now seek to capitalize on the legacy of the Olympic Games (who better than her, thought the government of François Bayrou) to strengthen the national sports infrastructure and encourage the practice of sports at all levels, while promoting gender equality in sport, supporting the development of women’s sports.