Alexis Lebrun, Teddy Riner…: 425 athletes from the 2024 Paris Olympics protest the reduction in the sports budget in a column

In a column signed by 425 French athletes who participated in the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the reduction of almost a third of the government's sports budget in 2025 is outrageous. The athletes point out in particular “a disaster foretold” for the future.

“France, a Nation of Sport ? The government’s answer is no!” Just a few months after the wonder of the Paris Games and the popular fervor it generated, the government tried to reduce the budget allocated to Sports by 34 million euros. In response, a column, published by the sports daily L’Équipe, was signed by 425 French athletes who proudly wore the blue, white, and red colors during the Olympics.

“We will not remain silent in the face of this announced disaster”

The two flag bearers of the French delegation, Florent Manaudou and Mélina Robert-Michon, notably signed this publication. Five-time Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner, basketball player Nicolas Batum, Paralympic boccia champion Aurélie Aubert and Montpellier native Alexis Lebrun also raised their voices in this protest, in the face of the peril of “the legacy of Paris 2024”.

“Who would have thought that we would go so quickly from popular fervour to total disillusionment ?”, wonder the French athletes in the gallery. “If we cut the budget for French sport, our society will pay the highest price”, warn the signatories before concluding by pointing the finger directly at the government. “We, the athletes of the French team, will not remain silent in the face of this predicted disaster. France deserves better.”

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Léon Marchand and Teddy Riner as whistleblowers

From 909 million euros in 2024, the annual budget devoted to sports would fall to 607 million euros with the amendment voted on Thursday, January 16 in the Senate, a decrease of around a third. As a protest, Toulouse swimmer and four-time Olympic champion Léon Marchand showed my discontent on the X platform, by making fun of the government's proposal on January 16.

The Toulouse swimmer was closely followed by three-time Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner, who urged elected officials not to let “this flame go out, it is essential for the future”. Later that evening, senators overwhelmingly rejected the amendment.

“You are right”

Faced with the unanimous refusal of the athletes to see “the commitments made during the Paris Games”, go up in smoke, the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron himself reacted, again on L’Équipe. “Since 2017, I have ensured that the sports budget increases every year”, assures the Head of State.

“We must keep our commitments and provide the resources for our athletes and so that the legacy of the Games benefits everyone”, he promises. The mobilization of French athletes will continue to allow sports entities to continue the development and emancipation of their future champions.

Another platform gathers 5,000 signatures

This Wednesday, January 22, a second platform was published by our colleagues at Parisien, initiated by ANDES (National Association of Elected Officials in Charge of Sport). “Together, French sports players, let's keep the flame of Paris 2024 alive!”, is notably proclaimed.

Many athletes, but also many personalities from the world of sport and politics, contributed to it, bringing a total of 5,000 signatures.