French Judo Federation President Responds to Julia Tolofua’s Olympic Selection Rant on RMC’s Bartoli Time

In the show Bartoli Time, on RMC, the president of the French Judo Federation Stéphane Nomis responded to the rant on our airwaves from Julia Tolofua (+78kg), exasperated by her non-selection for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games .

“I feel betrayed.” Because she believes that the dice would be loaded, that the French Judo Federation would not have given her the opportunity to defend her chance of appearing in the list of judokas selected for the Paris Olympic Games, Julia Tolofua is terribly angry with the French Judo Federation. Bronze medalist in Tokyo, winner of the Masters in August and the Euro at the beginning of the month, Romane Dicko was preferred for the +78kg category in a pre-list communicated by the federation on Friday.

“Zero subject.” Guest of the show Bartoli Time on RMC, Stéphane Nomis fully accepted this choice to prematurely oust the vice-world champion in his category: “I don’t understand how anyone could think that it’s unfair”, said he declared on Sunday evening on our airwaves. Recalling that the selection path is based on the results acquired in the biggest tournaments, Stéphane Nomis responded point by point to the accusations of which he is the subject, but also to the misunderstandings, one of which, major, may have fueled Julia Tolofua’s resentment.

“Romane has been world No. 1 for six years”

The judokate in fact imagined that the decision of the representatives of each category for the Paris Olympics would be taken later, and especially after the Paris Grand Slam, where she had to face her rival in the category, Romane Dicko. “I want to answer that she is making something up. We were very clear. The selection committee cannot choose from a tournament,” he said in a very firm tone.

While recalling that Julia Tolofua is “a very great champion”, Stéphane Nomis also suggested that there could be no comparison between the two athletes given their recent results in the +78kg category: “Romane is at -above.”

“There is a selection path with eight important competitions. There have already been five which have passed, including the world championships. Romane brings back the Marseilles each time. Out of five competitions on the official selection path of the Olympic committee, Romane brought home four gold medals, four from Marseille. All that doesn’t make sense. Romane has been world No. 1 for six years. I don’t mind being told things, but we still have to understand the results .”

Aware of what such an announcement could have aroused as a torrent of emotion in the athlete concerned, Stéphane Nomis showed himself full of concern for Julia Tolofua: “All the athletes were offered assistance to help them psychologically, we did things as cleanly as possible,” he said.

2023-11-26 19:26:52
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