In July 1996, before the Atlanta Olympics, Jean Poczobut, then head of the French Athletics Federation (FFA), announced that France wants to organize the World Championships in 2003. Two years later, Philippe Lamblin, the new president of the federation, receives the file. At the time, lives with inexhaustible passion Northerner adventure men Aime Jacquet World 98..

And April 3, 2000, Paris – only city in contention after the withdrawal of London, assured of organizing the 2005 World Championships – is chosen by the IAAF Council, despite the extreme severity of the French legislation on doping, which annoys some chiefs of the International Federation. July 2000: outside the athletics meeting at the Stade de France, Philippe Lamblin crosses Jacques Lambert, former Director General of the World 98, in the salons of the Stadium. They will then review at a meeting during which the prefect Lambert mentions the name of Essar Gabriel.

The young expert of sports management then considers the 600 pages of specifications for the IAAF. However, the Ministry blew hot and cold. Paris was also a candidate to host the 2008 Olympics.

At a meeting of Saint-Denis, July 6, 2001, Marie-George Buffet rule finally the case with Lamine Diack, IAAF President, guaranteeing financial support from the French state. The major obstacle is dropped, but the race against the clock has already begun. First step: recruiting. However, in the middle of the sports events, networks operating at full capacity.

Suddenly, Essar Gabriel calls Max Bouchet-Virette. The latter has spent ten years at Alstom HRD before becoming the organizing committee of the Olympics in Albertville and patron of 12,000 volunteers from France 98. And define a complete organization.

The budget of the World 2003 is nearly seven times lower than that of the World 98. A watchword is needed: cost containment. In late 2001, we were 9. In late 2002, 60.

Etienne Thobois, former international badminton, becomes CFO. Event Partner, RATP hosts these acrobats of the sports events at its premises in the Gare de Lyon. It remains to close the budget: it will be the defining challenge of Jean Dussourd…

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