The French Judo Federation has chosen not to enter a competitor in the men’s over-100kg division at the upcoming World Championships in Baku, leaving the heavyweight category without a French entry as Teddy Riner recovers from a shoulder injury, according to a report by L’Équipe.
Stéphane Nomis Defends the Decision on Heavyweight Exclusion
While domestic prospects such as Tieman Diaby, Mathéo Akiana-Mongo, and Kevin Nzuzi have emerged as potential successors to Riner, the national selection committee decided against naming a replacement for the injured champion. Federation President Stéphane Nomis addressed the decision directly, stating that sending an athlete simply for the sake of participation was pointless because « on n’a pas de chance de médaille ». Nomis emphasized that the federation’s standards require athletes to be genuine podium contenders before being selected for major international events.
French Heavyweight Absence Impacts Olympic Qualification Points
The absence in Baku carries direct implications for the qualification pathway toward the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Because no French heavyweight will compete at the world championships, the nation will forfeit any potential ranking points available in the division at this stage of the qualification cycle. Meanwhile, Riner faces an eventual return to competition at age 37 once his shoulder heals, at which point he will need to accumulate his own qualification points independently.
Federation Targets Four Gold Medals in Baku
Despite leaving the heavyweight division vacant, the French team enters the competition on October 10 with a strict performance target. Nomis established a minimum requirement of four gold titles for the delegation in Baku, reflecting an uncompromising selection policy that leaves little room for developmental entries or long-term gambles in other weight classes.
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