Teddy Riner, the five-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, has declared his intention to run for the presidency of France in 2027, news.yahoo.co.jp reported.
The 100kg category specialist, who holds three individual Olympic titles from London, Rio, and Paris alongside two team gold medals, announced his decision via a video posted to his official X account.
“There is no option to give up. In the face of the difficulties our country faces, now is the time to fulfill my responsibility. I am running in the 2027 French presidential election,” Riner stated in the video.
In an exclusive interview with the French media outlet Le Parisien, Riner explained that his candidacy is driven by a desire to rebuild the nation.
“I am running to claim that I can rebuild France. I am neither right-wing nor left-wing. I want to be a president who reconciles and unites the people,” Riner said.
The judoka noted that his interest in politics began following the Tokyo Olympics two years ago. He observed a sense of unity and pride across France during the games, only to witness the country become divided again weeks later.
Riner has spent several months preparing his election platform, which includes a call for pension system reforms, stating that the “current system cannot be maintained.”
The athlete also intends to run on an anti-racism platform, citing his own experiences as a victim of racist acts.
Riner indicated he may attempt to continue his competitive sports career while serving as president, provided the role allows it and the French people permit it. If successful, he intends to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, committing to both politics and elite sport for the first time.
Multiple media reports indicate that Philippe Verran, a wealthy businessman in the implant industry who previously provided financial backing for Emmanuel Macron’s campaign, has been appointed to lead Riner’s campaign fund management organization.
The current president, Emmanuel Macron, who is ineligible for a third term, expressed support for the athlete during an appearance on the French program “C à vous.”
“I am very happy that a great champion like Riner has decided to participate in the presidential election debate and bring his beliefs, ideas, and talent. It can only be a plus for the country,” Macron said.
“I welcome citizens who involve themselves in society and maintain that attitude until the end to join these debates. Political activity and national life are not only for professional politicians,” Macron added.
Bernard Laporte, a former coach of the French national rugby team and former state secretary for sports under the Nicolas Sarkozy administration, voiced his support on BFMTV.
“A very courageous and valuable decision. And I want to say, ‘Why not?’ Given the state of France today, why shouldn’t he, who is full of fighting spirit, charismatic, and widely recognized, run for president as a fellow citizen?” Laporte said.
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