Seriously injured during a school Rugby match in 2022, young Mathias Dantin, 17 years old at the time of the incident, was the victim of a dangerous tackle. He has been quadriplegic ever since. This evening, he testifies on France 3 in the program “Dans les yeux d’Olivier” entitled “Their fight after the accident”.
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On December 14, 2022 in Tarbes, a school match (UNSS) opposes two high schools from the Hautes-Pyrénées, Saint-Pierre-Pradeau-La Sède in Tarbes and Notre-Dame de Garaison in Monléon-Magnoac. Mathias Dantin, a young 17-year-old Tarbes captain, is the victim of a “cathedral” tackle. He feels the shock then nothing. After several days in a coma, Mathias wakes up quadriplegic.
In December 2024, the perpetrator of the tackle, now aged 20, was tried in Tarbes for violence leading to permanent disability and risks a maximum prison sentence of 15 years for his action if the courts find him guilty.
During the trial, Mathias Dantin explained how this accident disrupted his life and that of his family. With his chair at the helm, he explained: “I have to be helped to eat, to dress, to go to the toilet. I’m like a three-year-old.” He also gave his version of the facts : “I don’t see how it can be involuntary. This gesture goes beyond the scope of sport. I perceive it as an attack.”
The tragedy completely called into question the daily life and life of the entire family. For two years, his parents stopped working to devote themselves to the young man. “We didn’t hope for that for him, testifies his mother, also upset. We wanted him so badly to be happy, to be like everyone else. And there, I give 100% for him. Everything I do is for him, to make him as happy as possible, to try to improve his daily life.”
Read also: 18 months suspended sentence required against a young rugby player who made his opponent quadriplegic
According to the young man, the author of the tackle did not apologize to him before the trial and neither he nor his club heard from him. The public prosecutor requested an 18-month suspended prison sentence for the young Toulouse man responsible for the tackle. The judgment will be rendered on February 18, 2025.
Beyond a possible sanction against his alleged attacker, Mathias wishes above all to obtain recognition of his situation from the authorities and the compensation associated with it, to help him and his loved ones cope with the heavy costs linked to his disability.
Although he held a license from the French Rugby Federation, Mathias was not able to benefit from insurance after his accident since he intervened during a school rugby match and not with his club affiliated to the FFR.
After this tragedy, the UNSS paid 20,000 euros to the family and temporarily suspended school rugby for two weeks in January 2023. But since then, the family has had no news. The UNSS is not being prosecuted in this case. Mathias’ father’s feeling is that everyone blames each other for not having to pay a cent.
However, on the networks, Mathias conveys with great courage a message of hope. It is in particular this message that he will convey this Wednesday evening on France 2 and on the France.tv platform in the show “Dans les yeux d’Olivier”.
