Olympic champion Teddy Riner’s sudden entry into the 2027 French presidential race has triggered immediate fallout among his commercial partners, with Saxo Bank becoming the first major sponsor to suspend its collaboration.
The bank confirmed the move in a statement, citing the need to comply with French election regulations.
The suspension, agreed upon jointly with Riner, follows the judoka’s announcement that he would run for president. Saxo Bank, a Danish investment bank, had featured Riner in its “Be invested: s’investir est un état d’esprit” campaign alongside other elite athletes.
“We have taken note of Teddy Riner’s announcement regarding his candidacy in the French presidential election,” the bank stated in a confirmation to RTL. “In order to comply with applicable regulations, an agreement was reached to suspend his participation in the campaign.” The bank declined further comment.
Riner’s candidacy has created a wave of uncertainty within his extensive brand portfolio. According to RTL, one sponsor held an emergency meeting at 6 a.m. the day after his announcement to instruct employees on maintaining a “principle of neutrality” and avoid engaging with media inquiries.
The outlet described the situation as a “man sandwich” for Riner, whose social media presence promotes a wide array of products—including Bion3 supplements, fitness clubs Neoness and Keepcool, luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet, and Carrefour—none of which were designed for political association.
Actu.fr reported that Riner’s sponsorship deals extend to a dozen brands, representing sectors from finance to tourism. The French judoka, who competes for Paris Saint-Germain, is also an ambassador for the Moroccan tourism board, where he has lived in part recently. Past partnerships include Decathlon, Crédit Agricole, and Renault.
The legal complexity stems from French laws prohibiting private funding of political campaigns. Sponsor money cannot directly or indirectly support a candidate, leaving brands in a precarious position if their ambassador becomes a politician. Actu.fr noted that only brands whose contracts with Riner had already concluded agreed to comment, with one telling RTL, “It suits us.”
Présidentielle 2027 : Teddy Riner candidat, Saxo Banque suspend d’« un commun accord » son partenariat avec le judoka ➡️ https://t.co/rrfaasJMou pic.twitter.com/6cKDPWPluW
Saxo Bank’s marketing materials are being actively modified to remove Riner’s image. Actu.fr reported that the bank’s global campaign, launched earlier this year, featured Riner alongside eight other international athletes: Formula 1 driver Lando Norris, former footballer Gareth Bale, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, footballer Rasmus Hojlund, tennis players Aryna Sabalenka and Stan Wawrinka, speed skater Jutta Leerdam, and chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen.
Visuels showing Riner are being replaced, and his face no longer appears on the campaign’s public-facing materials.
Saxo Bank's response shows what brands associated with Riner risk losing. Actu.fr described the situation as a “tumultuous start to his campaign,” noting Riner has yet to campaign on the ground and has already faced criticism from political rivals on social media.
Actu.fr noted that the presidential election is scheduled for April and May 2027, meaning Riner’s dual role as candidate and athlete will remain a point of tension for months.
“It suits us,” one former sponsor told RTL—a sentiment that may echo among others watching from the sidelines.
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