Cécilia Berder, Antoine Dupont, Earvin Ngapeth… Athletes call to block the far right – Libération

The world of French sport is getting involved by speaking out against the RN. From a platform to “L’Equipe” through individual declarations, high-level athletes are calling for a barrier to Jordan Bardella’s party during the early legislative elections.

Languages ​​are gradually loosening. Several Olympic, fencing, badminton and even race walking champions have expressed their concerns about the rise of the far right in France, a few days before the early legislative elections of June 30 and July 7. In the wake of Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram, who very clearly took a position against the RN on Saturday June 15 and the more mixed call from Blues captain Kylian Mbappé to vote “against the extremes” the next day, many sports figures signed a Tribune to the similar message.

The text, published by the sports daily L’Equipe on June 16, urges people to vote against the far right. Yannick Noah, Marie-José Pérec, Yohann Diniz, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Marion Bartoli, François Gabart… All were keen to denounce the racist excesses of the National Rally, given the lead in the polls. Other athletes spoke out individually, keen to stand up against the Lepenist party.

Cécilia Berder, Olympic saber vice-champion: “A far-right Prime Minister? It makes my blood run cold.”

She is one of the first high-level sportswomen to speak out on the issue: Olympic team saber vice-champion in Tokyo Cécilia Berder confided her fears about a possible far-right Prime Minister. “There is a real form of sadness,” she admitted on June 12 to France Blue Orléans. We talk about it among ourselves during training. I try to push them to make a proxy because during the first round of the legislative elections, we are in training so we have to organize ourselves. For this member of the French team, selected for the Olympics, the idea of ​​a far-right Prime Minister at the opening ceremony of the Olympics “chills the blood”. “We live in a completely crazy world. When you’ve done a little history, you know where the extreme right comes from, you know how it ends. Having these ideas in 2024…”, was also moved by Boladé Apithy, another champion of the Orléans Fencing Circle. After this position, Cécilia Berder claims to have been the victim of cyberharassment. “I only do fencing, I wasn’t mentally prepared to endure a day of insults like that,” she says. at Le Parisien this Thursday, on the sidelines of the European Fencing Championships in Basel. “For me it’s a party, and the far right is not a party. I don’t regret having advised people to go and vote, it’s important to express yourself.”

Antoine Dupont, captain of the French rugby XV: “We are lucky to be able to express our opinion by going to the polls”

“If I have a message to convey, it is above all to go and vote,” declared this Thursday, for his part, Antoine Dupont, the captain of Stade Toulousain and the XV of France, interviewed before the semi-finals. his club’s Top 14 final against La Rochelle on Friday evening. “We are lucky to be able to express our opinion by going to the polls. We have values ​​in rugby which are diversity. Everyone brings their difference, added value to the collective. These are values ​​that we must try to bring into our society too, with all the difficult times we are currently experiencing.” The scrum half will participate in the Olympic Games with the French 7s team this summer.

Yannick Borel, French number 1 swordsman: “People who divide, it’s scary to have them in power”

The Olympic epee team champion in Rio Yannick Borel also expressed, during a press briefing at the European Championships in Basel where he withdrew, his fear in the face of the fractures in society. A few days before the early legislative elections, the swordsman admitted his fear of seeing the RN gain control of the country. “As Cécilia (Berder) said, it’s scary to imagine the RN in power. Extremes in general, as Kylian Mbappé said, people who divide, it’s scary to have them in power,” repeated the 35-year-old Guadeloupean shooter, questioned about the positions taken by different members of the French teams. “There was a petition from athletes calling to vote against the RN. Several athletes have spoken out against it, I agree with them in that sense,” added the French number 1 in epee and selected to compete in the Paris Olympic Games.

The Popov brothers, best French badminton players: “It doesn’t surprise me what’s happening, even if it’s not the best thing”

The Popov brothers, Toma Junior and Christo, who will both represent France in badminton at the Olympics, also spoke about the upcoming elections. “At home, in the South, it has become an RN vote,” explains Christo, 22, in the columns of the Parisian on June 14. Personally, it doesn’t surprise me what’s happening, even if it’s not the best thing. […] We come from a family from Bulgaria. Our history was built abroad. France welcomed us and it is this France that allows us to have a better quality of life. We hope that other families who have experienced our situation will have this chance if they need to come to France.” Toma Junior, 25, fears seeing “to what extent they [l’extrême droite] can go”.

Earvin Ngapeth, Olympic volleyball champion: “There is no more confidence, that’s why the RN is here”

For volleyball player Earvin Ngapeth, one of the 14 candidates for the role of standard bearer of the French delegation to the Olympic Games, it is on the field that the vote is played out, he explained to The gallery on June 16. “It has more impact. Because you take the time to explain. Young people think it won’t change anything. They say to each other “the other one wasn’t RN and it’s still the same for us”.” They complain about their living conditions but do not vote. But now we arrive at the moment where, even if you have the impression that it’s useless, you have to go.” For the Tokyo Olympic champion, alumni and associations have an essential educational role, but their absence undermines efforts. “There have been so many betrayals… There is no more trust, that’s why the RN is where it is.” Earvin Ngapeth prefers to focus on “the true image” of the country embodied by the Olympic team. “It’s made up of so many different people, and yet there’s happiness. Everyone manages to live together. And it wins. This is the France that I grew up in and that’s what speaks to me.”

Yohann Diniz: “The most important thing is to go and vote”

Former race walker Yohann Diniz is one of the signatories of the column of 160 athletes published in the daily L’Équipe, which calls for a barrier to the far right. “It seemed important to us to do something with our means to mobilize as many people as possible. We invite people to register on the electoral lists and to make a proxy if necessary. I signed because I fight against everything advocated by the National Rally and the Republicans, particularly those who were able to join the RN and Reconquest. Right-wing extremists have for a long time been nourished by hatred, intolerance, fear, division… lots of things which mean that I can only fight against that,” said the 2017 world champion on June 18 in the daily newspaper L’Union.