Olympics: Scholz sees Paris as 'inspiration' for German bid

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Friday that the Olympic Games in Paris have been an "inspiration" for a future German Olympic bid.

Speaking during a visit to the German Olympic team's base in the French capital, Scholz extended "massive congratulations to our French friends" for a Games which he said embodied the "spirit of Olympic excellence, fairness and cooperation."

Describing those values as "extremely important in the world in which we live," Scholz said he hoped the experience of Paris 2024 could be "contagious" back in Germany.

"As you know, it is our plan to set our sights on an Olympic Games in Germany again," he told the German athletes, who by Friday had accrued a total of 29 medals, including 12 golds, leaving Germany eighth in the medal table.

"What we are experiencing together here is a huge inspiration," said Scholz, who on Thursday night had attended the men's hockey final in which Germany lost to the Netherlands.

Germany to bid for 2040 Olympics

Last week, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser signed a memorandum of understanding which officially signaled Germany's intention to bid for the 2040 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games — which would mark the 50th anniversary of German reunification.

The memorandum was signed following consultations with the German Olympic Committee, the cities of Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Munich and Leipzig and the federal states of Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia. A full concept bid is expected to be presented by the end of 2024.

Germany last hosted the Olympics in Munich in 1972. The games were overshadowed by the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches in the Olympic Village by the Palestinian militant group Black September.

Prior to that, Nazi Germany hosted the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

mf/rmt (SID, dpa)