French language body blasts 2024 bid 'pizza' slogan
The decision to adopt an English slogan for Paris' bid to host the 2024 Olympics was likened on Thursday to a pizza promotion by the body charged with preserving the purity of the French language.
Paris decided on "Made for Sharing" as their rallying cry for the Games in seven years' time.
But the Académie française said it "disapproved" of the slogan, claiming "it has already been used in other publicity campaigns...notably for pizzas to share".
"Even though the bid committee provided a second version of this slogan, in French -- 'Venez partager' -- the Académie française unanimously expresses its disapproval of the decision to give priority to the English language to promote the Paris Olympic bid," said a statement.
The academy, founded in the 17th century and which closely tracks the creeping of English words into the French language, also pointed out that in the Olympic Charter "the official languages of the International Olympic Committee are French and English -- in that order."
Paris, Los Angeles and Budapest are vying to host the 2024 Olympics with a decision to be made by the IOC in Lima on September 13.