Nice was awarded the title of “European City of Sport” for the year 2011 yesterday in Brussels, during an official ceremony held at the European Parliament which was attended by Gilles Veissière, Deputy for Sports of the city of Nice.
“A deserved recognition that crowns all the efforts made by the city of Nice and its Mayor, Christian Estrosi, to give sport the place it deserves,” said Gian Francesco Lupatelli, President of the Association of European Capitals of Sport (ACES).
Each year, ACES designates cities whose efforts in promoting sports development deserve to be highlighted.
“Whether it is about facilities, high-level sports, or sports for everyone, access to practice for young people, the elderly, or people with disabilities, be it significant events, ambitious projects like the large stadium or simply sport as a vector of social integration, Nice demonstrates a will and determination that impressed the evaluation committee. A sporting reality we were able to assess on-site during the technical inspection,” concluded Gian Francesco Lupatelli.
This distinction rewards the unprecedented efforts made by the municipality over nearly three years for Nice to regain its status as a city of sporting excellence.
Among the other laureates for the year 2011: Valencia (as the European capital of sport, a title awarded to cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants), as well as the Italian cities of Treviso and Trieste, and the Irish city of Limerick.
