Sarkozy was conspicuous by his absence in the video Annecy premiered when the three cities bidding for the Games made their first international presentations at the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOCs) meeting here last Friday (October 21).

While Munich's video featured German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Annecy instead used Sarkozy's wife, former model turned singer Carla Bruni, talking seductively to the audience.

"We would be very proud to work with you to bring the Olympic ideal to life," she said.

"Now we wait only for you to celebrate together the Olympic spirit and the magic of the performance."

The appearance of the Italian-born Bruni had led to some in the Olympic Movement to speculate that she had been chosen because of her husband's current unpopularity in France.

Others claimed that it was because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) still remember how Sarkozy had led calls for a boycott of the Opening Ceremony at the Beijing Olympics two years ago over China's human rights record.

Sarkozy did attend the event in the end but it has been claimed that the incident could potentially damage Annecy's bid.

Grospiron, though, promised that Sarkozy would be used at the appropriate moment and promised that he would definitely be at the final vote at the IOC Session in Durban on July 6.

"He will have to play his own role," Grospiron told insidethegames.

"He is already involved in the bid as the chief of the Government.

"But he will appear when it is time for him to appear,

"You can be sure that he is behind us.

"On the stage [in Durban] he will be there, you can be sure."

Bruni does have an Olympic pedigree having participated in the Opening Ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin when, wearing a sparkling gown by Giorgio Armani, inspired by crystal and ice, and led by 26 Olympic medallists, she carried the Italian flag into the stadium.



Bruni's appearance divided opinion both in the hall and in the French media but Grospiron believed it sent a powerful message.

"It was important to have her now," he said.

"We have said since the beginning we have the full support of the Government but she's so kind and grateful.

"It was important to have the First Lady play a role."

Just as important as Bruni's appearance on the video was that of Jean-Claude Killy, the triple Olympic skiing champion who is an influential IOC member.

He was seen praising Grospiron and revealing that their links went back to when the Annecy chief executive was five and how he had helped encourage him win the gold medal in the moguls at the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, which Killy organised.

"For us it was also important to tell that Jean-Claude Killy was backing us and fully behind us," said Grospiron.

"We also wanted to reveal the strong story we have me and him because we don't talk about that with people.

"But the film with Jean-Claude was the way to say it."

Killy was initially lukewarm about Annecy's bid but is now fully behind it after it was revamped following criticism from the IOC in June.

"Jean-Claude was a little bit backward but now the concept is very strong and like he said this is the best of what we can offer," said Grospiron.

"He also said this is probably the best that exists.

"He is proud of the work we have done in the last four months."

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