London Olympics, French signs?

Organisers of the London Olympics are embroiled in a fierce row with a group of French activists who say that all signs, announcements and leaflets at the 2012 stadium should be published in French as well as English.

The Organisation of la Francophonie says that French should be put on equal footing with English in the competition. It bases its claim on the Olympic Charter of 1908, which states that the official languages of the International Olympic Committee are in French and English.

The charter was drawn up by Frenchman Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who invented the modern Olympics, says the Daily Mail.

The Times reports that so far the London Organising Committee has been unsuccessful in its attempt to plead that English is now a universal tongue.

Francophone negotiator Michaelle Jean said in The Mail: " We had to spend a lot of time explaining the Olympic Charter and making sure that it is respected. It is the first time we have organised an event of such importance in a country that is not part of the Francophony."

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