Koos 2012. aasta olümpialinna hääletamisega, hääletatakse Rahvusvahelises Olümpiakomitees ka petangi olümpiaalaks saamise üle.

"Vastame kõikidele meile esitatud kriteeriumidele," on ala edus kindel Prantsusmaa petangiöderatsiooni juht Calude Azéma.

Azéma ütluse kohaselt pole mäng juba ammu lihtsalt kohalikku pasti-jooki tarbivate ja barette kandvate Provance'i elanike ajaveetmisviisiks.

"Petanki mängitakse juba 60 maailma riigis," selgitas Azéma.

Petanque.ee
_________
Loo originaal

Pétanque aims for Olympics
By Henry Samuel in Paris
(Filed: 04/07/2005)

If Paris's Olympic bid fails on Wednesday, France could still take home a consolation prize: pétanque could become an Olympic sport.

Two days after the International Olympic Committee announces whether London, Madrid, New York, Paris or Moscow will host the 2012 Games, it will also decide which new sports deserve inclusion. France's pétanque federation says its discipline is in with a chance. "We meet all the IOC's criteria," said Claude Azéma, its president.

He said pétanque was no longer the exclusive domain of pastis-drinking, beret-wearing men from Provence with a low centre of gravity. "Our sport is played in nearly 60 countries," he told l'Express.

Paris remains the favourite to win the nomination but Tony Blair stole a march on Jacques Chirac yesterday by beating the French president to Singapore, where the Olympic officials are meeting.

________

Reedel, 8. juulil selgus, et petank seekord veel siiski olümpiaalaks ei saa.

Petanque.ee