France, Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner running for Elysée 2027

French judoka Teddy Riner announces his candidacy in the 2027 French presidential elections. Five-time Olympic judo champion, Teddy Riner is considered an icon of French sport. Riner, one of the best-known sports figures in France, had already publicly declared that he was very worried about "the rise of the far right". In an interview with Le Parisien newspaper, Riner said he wanted to continue his sporting career in parallel with his presidential candidacy. If elected to the presidency, he said he would like to participate in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, "if the office allows me and if the French people allow me." Riner also stated that he wanted to start the election campaign quickly, financing it through donations and personal resources.

Teddy Riner: "Fighting has always been a part of me"

A surprise announcement, six months after the vote for the Elysée. In a video published on social media, the thirty-seven-year-old originally from Guadeloupe addresses the French by stating: "My name is Teddy Riner and, today, I tell you by looking you straight in the eyes, I am running for the 2027 presidential elections". Then "Fighting has always been part of me. I know what it means to fight, to always fall and get back up", adds the great sportsman who is still active, sitting in front of a bookcase, in a white shirt and dark jacket.

A surprise announcement, six months after the vote for the Elysée

Riner, who was born on 7 April 1989 in Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe, founded his party today, 'The France we want'. In recent months he had already begun to take a position, with increasing frequency, on political issues, on the growth of the far right at high school student demonstrations. "Look at our country, look at our streets, our countryside, our neighborhoods. We have let fear and resignation take root and there is a widespread sense of abandonment."

Riner regrets it

Riner regrets "seeing France collapse under the weight of debt, seeing such a rich country portray itself as poor." "It is unbearable to see a father or mother of a family grit their teeth while filling the shopping cart, tremble when they see their child leave the house, because we have left the streets in the hands of criminals and the authority of the State has failed. Is it crazy to see the hypocrisy of a system in which those who respect the rules pay for everyone?".