French fencing or the art of shooting yourself in the foot – Libération

Alexandre Bardenet contests his non-selection for the Games before the National Olympic Committee. An episode which further weighs down a deleterious atmosphere weighing down the French men’s epee team, among the favorites at the Olympics.

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But how far will they stop? Coluche deliberately massacred the grammar but the expression flourished. We do not know if the hierarchs of the French Fencing Federation have compiled the formulas of the comedian in overalls, but they are undoubtedly in the same worried question concerning the members of the French epee team selected for the Games and Alexandre Bardenet, not invited to the Olympic rally. He contests his non-selection and can claim the support of… two of the four Olympic shooters. The umpteenth episode of a conflict which is damaging relations between swordsmen and their Federation.

Previous episodes

At the beginning of the story, there is a trio: Yannick Borel, Romain Cannone and Alexandre Bardenet. The three men won the team world championships together in 2019 and 2022. Borel was individual world champion in 2018 and Cannone is the reigning Olympic champion. So heavy. In open conflict with their trainer, Hugues Obry, they suffered the latter’s skin, forced to resign. Their relationship with Gauthier Grumier, Obry’s successor, is also complicated. In a position of strength, Borel, Cannone and Bardenet, numbers 1, 2 and 3 of French swordsmen at the time of selection, did not hesitate to desert Insep where all French fencers were supposed to gather, to train in their club.

Low blow

Logically, at least in their minds, Borel, Cannone and Bardenet had to play a reconstruction of the winning band this summer in Paris. Except that Bardenet is not included in the list of five swordsmen (four starters and one replacement) selected for the Games by the selection committee on May 28. Borel and Cannone are there, alongside Luidgi Midelton and Paul Allègre. Purely sporting logic is not respected. The Federation explains this: its regulations only impose one choice, that of number 1 in the internal ranking (Borel, therefore), a selection committee has its free will for the four other members.

Alexandre Bardenet accuses the blow, then reacts two days later on his social networks, denouncing low blows. Thursday June 6 the Team reveals that it is officially counterattacking. He retained the services of a lawyer to challenge his non-selection before the French National and Olympic Sports Committee (CNOSF). Questioned by the sports daily, Me Joan Roche protested: “The choice of the selection committee is subjective and scandalous. Athletes are not aware of the clear rules on the basis of which they will be selected. It is a sporting choice which should only be guided by objectivity, rationality and fairness. We are far from it.” Borel and Cannone step up to support their (ex?) teammate.

How, for Bardenet and his lawyer, can they challenge before the CNOSF a choice assumed to be subjective by the selection committee? How can we assert for Bardenet, the equally subjective impression that of the trio of slingers, he served as a fuse: Borel was automatically selected, Cannone was difficult to dismiss as Olympic champion, the avenging sword and the secular arm (to quote Audiard after Coluche) of the federation would have sacrificed Bardenet? There remain formal defects in the selection procedure, which Me Roche intends to plead. After all, the French Federation suffered a snub for such a reason when choosing the saber team…