“ We felt that with the Olympic Games, the spectrum affected is much broader. […] We go beyond the framework of rugby, we go beyond the framework of the sport itself. […] Of course, this leads to a slightly increased notoriety.” Asked how he managed a popularity reinforced by his gold medal won at the Paris Games, Antoine Dupont wanted to be philosophical, Monday evening, during a Rugby Night synonymous with new individual awards for him. The excitement generated by his vacation in California tends to demonstrate that the number 9 of the Blues and Toulouse has perhaps slightly minimized the phenomenon surrounding him.
The episode began Wednesday morning with a message posted on his social networks. A “post” through which he announced his departure on a trip to the United States, accompanied by a photo of himself wearing a jersey of the Los Angeles American football franchise, the Chargers.
Antoine Dupont during the rugby night on Monday evening in Paris.
National Rugby League Photo
A banal story so far. As were the answers that his partners at Stade Toulousain sent him. “New sport?” asked Pita Ahki. “He’s coming…” asked Emmanuel Meafou while mentioning the NFL account. But the affair took on a completely different resonance when various sites reported a possible internship with the US team in question.
“When we woke up, we wondered what had happened,” jokes Christophe Quiquandon, also on the trip to the American West Coast and incidentally founder of Bros Agency, the communications agency in which Antoine Dupont has shares, with a hint of incredulity: “No, Antoine is not going to sign in the NFL! He’s on vacation, he’s just seizing opportunities.”
Among these, there is indeed talk of a visit to Bolt, the Chargers’ training camp. A simple courtesy visit? The franchise’s communications department has nevertheless taken up the subject… The connection was facilitated in particular by the Wasserman agency, whose French branch specializing in rugby manages its interests, and which is very established in US sport. The star player of French rugby will have the opportunity to visit the Californian team’s facilities, observe training and, perhaps even, put on a pair of shorts…
The photo with LeBron
To participate in a Chargers training session? More likely to participate in specific sessions. A vacationer in the eyes of his employer, Stade Toulousain, Antoine Dupont could not join one of the collective sessions of a franchise currently in full season. For insurance reasons, for them as well as for him. On the other hand, it is not impossible that he joins elements of the academy.
Insatiable, he had opened up to those around him about his desire to discover new disciplines during the 2023 World Cup. And in particular American football. But it won’t be for this time. “Antoine wants first of all to take full advantage of this week and the next one,” reframes Christophe Quiquandon.
“He can go around Magnoac Lake and be in Los Angeles 48 hours later and still be the same.”
He’s working on it. On Sunday night, he’ll attend the game between the Chargers and the Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, at Sofi Stadium. In the days that follow, he could also attend a college football or baseball game. “That’s what’s great about Antoine,” boasts Christophe Quiquandon. “He can go around the Castelnau-Magnoac lake and be in Los Angeles 48 hours later and still be the same person.”
A big gap that he experienced on Wednesday. Shortly after his arrival in “LA”, he had the opportunity to meet another Olympic gold medalist in Paris: basketball and Lakers superstar LeBron James at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. A meeting made possible by a common partner, the luxury giant LVMH, the American basketball player being one of the ambassadors of the Hennessy cognac brand.
Instagram Antoine Dupont
Antoine Dupont alongside LeBron James.
On Monday evening in Paris, during the Nuit du rugby, Antoine Dupont also declared this: “Even if sometimes we want to be a little quiet, it’s hard to tell people not to applaud us.” The advantages do indeed seem to outweigh the disadvantages for the moment.
Soon the recovery
Planning. Although still on vacation, Antoine Dupont has participated in a few training sessions at Stade Toulousain in recent weeks. But he is not expected to return until Monday, October 7. For a return to Top 14 action the following weekend for the reception of Clermont? “I should be back at the beginning of October for the competition,” he said Monday at Nuit du rugby.
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