Choice of contested selections, departures from Insep, resignations… The French fencing season has continued to be disrupted in recent months. Two months before Paris 2024, the Blues are trying to stay focused on the Olympic objective at home.
They seem relaxed, wearing big smiles. This Tuesday at Insep, French fencers continue to prepare for their Olympic Games, 45 days before the opening ceremony. Nothing, except the curtain which protects the swordsmen’s training from outside eyes, gives a glimpse of the incessant turbulence that French fencing has been going through since the start of the season.
However, they have been disrupting the preparation of the Blues for months. “It’s something that has gained momentum in recent days, but it’s been going on for a long time,” regrets Romain Cannone. Olympic champion in 2021, the swordsman openly contested the non-selection of Alexandre Bardenet, despite being the third best Frenchman in this specialty.
“In some ways I think it’s unfair. It’s a commission choice, we don’t really know what it’s based on… With the current team we can get a medal, but are we calm? It’s a bit complicated,” continues the native of Hauts-de-Seine.
With the absence of Alexandre Bardenet, Romain Cannone loses one of his “best friends” at the Games. A decision that goes badly, after a season already disrupted by internal tensions. Last February, the epee coach Hugues Obry resigned. On the men’s saber side, general manager Alain Coicaud left the ship at the end of last month, two months before the Olympics.
“People put obstacles in your way”
“It had an impact on us, it would be a lie to say that no, we were the victim of a lot of news,” laments Sébastien Patrice, member of the team, who describes a heavy atmosphere this season. “It’s like when you’re trying to do your job, and people who are supposed to be with you get in the way,” describes the 24-year-old athlete.
Like Romain Cannone or Yannick Borel in epee, Sébastien Patrice has distanced himself from Insep this season, like the three other French people selected in saber for Paris 2024. “Three-quarters of the team trains in the same structure, we have a certain group cohesion. We went through so much this year that it united us,” he reassures.
But even among the women, it is impossible to ignore the various controversies which have punctuated the season of the colleagues. “We are impacted, they are colleagues. There is a form of sadness and compassion, we want to help,” sympathizes Cecilia Berder, sword specialist. “It’s not easy to see everything that’s happening, difficult situations to live with. We can quickly be affected by all this but we shouldn’t be. We have to take a step back,” adds Sara Balzer, world number 1 in the discipline.
Take a step back, stay focused, because ultimately there is the goal of the Games at home. “As a team and as teammates, we stick together. Internally on the day of the competition we communicate a lot and we are focused on our objective,” promises swordsman Yannick Borel.
Ysaora Thibus returns to Insep
This objective is for each team to bring home a medal according to the president of the French fencing federation, Brigitte Saint-Bonnet. For the national technical director, Jean-Yves Robin, a total of 8 medals would be “honorable” this summer. He prefers to see the glass half full. “There have always been federal problems. It was never done in peace and serenity. Besides, when you are too calm, you are never too good. If we have to perform well in relation to the tumult in our federation, we will be very efficient,” he quips.
A reason for satisfaction for him in recent months: the return of Ysaora Thibus. Temporarily suspended in February after an abnormal doping control, the foil fencer should be able to participate in the Games. His resumption of training, and his future participation in the European Championships from June 18 to 24 in Basel with the rest of the teams, necessarily boosts the morale of the troops. “She has been practicing small matches every day for 15 days. She quickly returned to the level she was at before her suspension. She will be ready,” concludes trainer Yann Detienne.
In Tokyo two years ago, French fencers won 5 medals, including two gold. A small part of the 123 medals won by French fencing in its history, i.e. more blue podiums than in any other sport.
