By Duncan Mackay in Copenhagen

October 6 - Annecy's bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics will not repeat the mistakes of Paris' ill-fated campaign for the 2012 Games which ended in disappointment and acrimony after they were beaten by London, the President of the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) Denis Masseglia promised today.


Masseglia has been attending the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) 121st Session and Congress here to launch Annecy's bid.

Applications for cities who want to bid for 2018 closes on October 15 and the French candidate is expected to be up against Pyeongchang and Munich and, possibly, Harbin in China.

Paris were the short-priced favourites to host the 2012 Olympics only to be beaten by four votes by London when the IOC chose the host city at its Session in Singapore in 2005.

It was claimed that the French capital had been arrogant and underestimated the strength of London's challenge.

Masseglia said: "We must learn from the the errors of Paris.

"We will not be favourites [this time].

"We must not be arrogant."

Pyeongchang, who narrowly lost the votes to the the 2006 and 2010 Olympics to Turin and Vancouver respecitvely, are the early favourites but Annecy is hoping to continue the recent trend of the underdogs winning.

Masseglia said: "We must remain modest, we know our strengths."


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