The French judo team travels to Baku, Azerbaijan, for the World Championships running from October 4 to 11, balancing heavy medal aspirations with a wave of overseas talent and the major absence of Teddy Riner. The global gathering serves as a critical checkpoint on the road to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, pushing coaching staff to evaluate depth and conditioning across both individual and mixed team divisions.
Baku Prepares to Host the Global Elite
Azerbaijan maintains a prominent standing within international judo, boasting a deep roster of elite fighters. The tournament brings together the world’s premier federations for a week of high-stakes bouts. Stéphane Nomis, president of the French Judo Federation, emphasized the rigorous path required to reach the global podium while outlining realistic targets for the delegation. “It must be believed that a world championship is earned. All selected athletes are able to bring back medals,” Nomis stated, noting that targeting ten gold medals is unfeasible, though capturing four titles remains a concrete ambition shared with women’s team manager Lucie Décosse and men’s team manager Daniel Fernandes.
French Squad Navigates Teddy Riner’s Absence
France will compete without Teddy Riner, who remains sidelined following medical examinations on a shoulder injury. The Guadeloupean heavyweight has postponed his return to competition to complete a tailored strength and conditioning regimen, keeping his long-term sights fixed on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. “Teddy, he is not ready. He hasn’t done any competition. We’re not going to send him to the world championships without preparation. We want to see him again quickly,” Nomis explained regarding the decision to bypass Baku.
Joan-Benjamin Gaba Defends World Crown
On the men’s side, Martinican fighter Joan-Benjamin Gaba enters Baku with a world title to defend in the –73 kg category after securing the crown at the previous global championships. Gaba spent several months away from the tatamis recovering from a shoulder injury and focused heavily on physical conditioning and video analysis during his rehabilitation. “Right now, I feel good. I’m training enormously to make up for what I couldn’t do. I prepared myself differently by doing a lot of physical preparation. I did a lot of video analysis. I worked differently,” Gaba told a press conference. He maintained a grounded mindset ahead of his defense, adding: “I always want to win with the same intensity as last year. My job is to go and fight, quite simply. I think I will fight at 100%.” The men’s roster also features Maxime Gobert in the –73 kg division and Alexis Mathieu in the –90 kg category, both tapped for the mixed team tournament.
Overseas Competitors Lead Women’s Roster Ambitions
The French women’s team relies on an experienced core featuring several established global medalists, highlighted by overseas standouts Sarah-Léonie Cysique in the –57 kg category and world number one Léa Fontaine in the +78 kg division. Cysique arrives in Azerbaijan carrying consistent season form and strong confidence, while the broader squad prepares to counter a formidable international field. Lucie Décosse set high expectations for the women’s contingent: “I think, among the girls, we can do two gold medals while targeting four finals at these world championships. That would be the top.”
.png)
