While he hoped to be one of the standard bearers of the French delegation at the Paris Olympic Games, the pre-criteria that the CNOSF will announce this Wednesday will exclude Teddy Riner. Like most other French sports stars.
Four months before the Paris Games, Teddy Riner is focused on the last objective of his huge career: winning a fourth Olympic title at home in the capital. His recent success at the Grand Slam in Paris, while he still considers himself a long way from 100%, has inevitably given him confidence. The French heavyweight is nevertheless preparing to experience a serious disappointment: he will not be one of the two standard bearers of the French delegation at the Olympics.
According to Le Parisien, the criteria set by the CNOSF, which will be announced this Wednesday, will in fact prevent him from claiming this honor. Without much surprise, the leaders of the French Olympics have in fact decided to reserve this role of standard bearer for athletes (a man and a woman) which was not the case in the past. Flag bearer in Rio, Teddy Riner will not be able to apply, as will his partner Clarisse Agbegnou, who led the French delegation in Tokyo.
Reserved vote for athletes
According to a YouGov survey conducted for internet users, Teddy Reiner was still the first choice of the French public as 27.4% of respondents favored a judoka in the role of standard bearer. He thus had the luxury of finishing ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Dupont, but the two French sports stars will not be one of the two French standard bearers in Paris.
According to the CNOSF, flag bearers must have already participated in the Olympic Games, excluding Kylian Mbappé, although he may be present, and Antoine Dupont, but also Victor Vembanyama. After all, many French Olympic sports leaders also want flag bearers to be blameless and thus never get into trouble with the law, with the exception this time of Nikola Karabatic, who was sentenced to two months in prison in 2016. In the Paris case, Renaud Lavillenie, responsible for a serious motorcycle accident in 2008, or Earvin Ngapeth, convicted in 2016 for a serious altercation with an SNCF controller.
While the position of flag bearers should be reserved for athletes, and not open to the public as the sports minister wishes, voting will take place in July only after each federation nominates two candidates.
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