basketball player Rudy Gobert dreams of being a standard bearer – Libération

The interior of Minnesota, silver medalist in Tokyo, hopes to lead the French delegation on July 26, during the opening ceremony of the Paris Games. Until now, a French basketball player has never had this privilege.

He could become the greatest standard bearer in the history of France. Not necessarily in terms of talent or track records – it’s not up to Libé to judge – but from the height of his 2m16, Rudy Gobert crushes in size all the French athletes who have until now had the privilege of opening the procession of Blues during the Olympic opening ceremonies. Currently in the United States to compete with Minnesota in the NBA playoffs, the player applied in an interview with Monde to be standard bearer of the French delegation on the Seine on July 26. “Of course I’m applying, I’ve always dreamed of it and it would be an incredible honor,” he told the daily. I have always devoted myself to the French team and this would be a new way of representing the country.

Voted best defender in the NBA three times and candidate for a fourth award this season, selected All-star three times, multi-medalist with the French team… The interior presents quite a CV. Above all, he ticks all the boxes imposed by the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) to be a flag bearer: he has never obtained this privilege, has already competed in the Olympics (twice, for a silver medal in Tokyo) and has not, to our knowledge, had any problems with the law.

Nine basketball players carry the flag in Tokyo

If he were designated standard bearer, Rudy Gobert would be the first French basketball player to head the French delegation. In the past, Tony Parker or Céline Dumerc had already expressed their wish to play this role, without their applications being accepted. Several countries, on the other hand, have already highlighted basketball players during the Olympics: in 2021, no less than nine basketball players, including the Japanese Rui Hachimura who played at home, had this privilege. The Chinese giant Yao Ming (13cm taller than Gobert!) was even twice, in 2004 and 2008.

The fact remains that for Rudy Gobert the competition will be tough. Renaud Lavillenie, Florent Manaudou or Ervin Ngapeth for men, Mélina Robert-Michon, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Wendie Renard or Estelle Mossely for women, many athletes have already applied. The flag bearers (one man and one woman) will be designated by their peers. The voters, namely all the athletes who will make up the French delegation this summer (i.e. between 560 and 565 athletes), will have to choose a single name from a short-list in which only one candidate per discipline can appear.

Before being able to be elected, the interior of Minnesota must first have been chosen by the French Basketball Federation, where he could be in competition with his captain at the Blues, Nicolas Batum, who many imagine is also a candidate.