Paris declared its candidacy for the 2024 Olympics on Tuesday, becoming the fourth city to enter the race and setting out its vision for bringing the games back to the French capital for the first time in 100 years, reports ABC News.
The Paris bid, which has been in the works for months, was formally launched in a ceremony at the headquarters of the French Olympic Committee that was attended by leading French athletes.
"We believe that this bid and our goal to host the 2024 Games will excite, unite and enthuse the people of Paris, our entire nation and lovers of Olympic and Paralympic sport all over the world," bid chairman Bernard Lapasset said.
Paris joins Rome, Boston and Hamburg as declared bidders, with Budapest also expected to join the contest.
Paris has scheduled a second bid ceremony on Bastille Day on July 14, with French President François Hollande and other top political figures expected to take part.
Paris hosted the Olympics in 1900 and 1924 and bid unsuccessfully for the 1992, 2008 and 2012 Games.
After being criticized for their perceived arrogance in their defeats to Beijing and London for the 2008 and 2012 Games, French officials have opted for a more cautious and humble approach this time, leaving government officials in a supporting role and making sure all the political hurdles were cleared before announcing a bid.
The bid announcement coincided with the annual Olympic Day, which celebrates the inception of the International Olympic Committee on June, 23, 1894 in Paris.
Read more of this Associated Press report published by ABC News.