The Olympic boxing champion at the Rio Olympics in 2016 ran for president of the French Boxing Federation with Dominique Nato. She finally gave up and explained it on BFMTV.
Hatred got the better of his determination to bring these fights to the top of French boxing. Declared candidate for president of the FFB, Sarah Ourahmoune has given up on continuing the adventure alongside the outgoing Dominique Nato, with whom she formed a pair. “I decided to withdraw my candidacy following several personal attacks, racist and sexist attacks that I have suffered since the announcement of my candidacy,” she explained this Tuesday morning on BFMTV. “Too affected” by “vile attacks, of incredible violence”, the silver medalist at the Rio Olympics in 2016 withdrew from the race. “I have experience, energy, ideas that could have served my sport, my federation, the clubs that do boxing on a daily basis, but today, my fight is elsewhere,” she lamented on BFMTV. I don't think I'm in the right place to continue to uphold my values, that in no way affects my determination or my commitments.”
“Go to the end of this denunciation”
If she says she suffered sexist attacks very early on in the world of boxing, they had never taken “such a violent direct form”, assures Sarah Ourahmoune. A “fairly uninhibited” racism which circulated online, on social networks, and especially in private messages from Whatsapp loops through attacks like “dirty Arab”, “Arab on duty”, “housekeeper at the federation “, testified the champion on BFMTV. Determined to say no to the intolerable, Sarah Ourahmoune does not consider her gesture as a renunciation: “That is not the case.” “I am speaking out today and I intend to continue to do so, it seemed essential to me to denounce these attitudes.” The Olympic champion also intends to follow through with her approach since she is going to file a complaint: “Because it is also part of the fight. I want to follow through with this denunciation.”
Monday morning, Dominique Nato published a press release of support, specifying that he maintained his candidacy against Estelle Mossely for the election scheduled for December 14. “I would like to express my full support for Sarah in this difficult moment. The French Boxing Federation stands by her and reaffirms its commitment to lead the necessary fights in order to knock out those who spread hatred and division. In 2024, in a context where attacks and intolerance sometimes seem to prevail, it is more essential than ever to defend the values that unite us. This episode, far from defeating us, strengthens our determination. to the side of the existing team and the Federation, to uphold the values of boxing and to carry out actions to promote an inclusive and hopeful sport.”
