Teddy Riner Declares Candidacy for 2027 French Presidential Election

“I am Teddy Riner, and today I am telling you face to face: I am a candidate for the 2027 presidential election,” the judoka declared in an interview published Monday, according to Eurosport.

The 37-year-old, born in Guadeloupe, is trading the tatami for the political arena.

Defying the Label of ‘Madman’

Riner is acutely aware of the skepticism surrounding his transition from sport to statecraft.

“If it makes me a madman not to bow my head and not to accept the chaos, then yes, I am completely crazy,” Riner said.

A Third Way Between the Extremes

“The only risk I see today is to be resigned to choosing between two possibilities, namely the extremes,” Riner said. He specifically referenced the rise of the radical right, noting the prominence of the right-wing Rassemblement National—led in polls by Marine Le Pen—and the left-wing La France insoumise.

From Olympic Gold to Political Ambition

Riner enters the race following a historic year in Paris. At the 2024 Olympic Games, he became the first judoka to secure three Olympic gold medals in the heavyweight category, adding two team golds to his tally, Eurosport noted.

His resume is defined by a decade of dominance: an 11-time world champion and a three-time recipient of France’s Sportsman of the Year award.

The 2028 Olympic Question

Despite a potential 2027 presidential bid, Riner has not announced a retirement from professional competition. In a separate interview with the newspaper “Le Parisien” published Monday, he expressed a desire to compete at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“I want to continue my sports career and even participate in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, if the office allows it and if the French people allow it,” Riner said, as reported by Eurosport.