IOC donates 500,000 euros to assist rebuilding of Notre-Dame cathedral

The International Olympic Committee on Thursday pledged 500,000 euros to help ensure Notre Dame is restored in time for the 2024 Paris Games. "The aim of completing the reconstruction in time for Paris 2024 will be an extra motivation for all of us," IOC president Thomas Bach told 2024 Games chief Thomas Estanguet in a letter.

"All the Olympic movement and in particular the IOC have been extremely touched by the instantaneous connection the French have made between Notre Dame cathedral and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games," he wrote. Estanguet said the Olympic family "wanted to show its solidarity with Parisians and all French people".

The IOC's contribution joins donations totalling 850 million euros made since the landmark was gutted by fire on Monday evening. Notre Dame figures on the route for the 2024 Olympic marathon and on the road cycling circuit.

(With inputs from agencies.)