Several dozen French sports personalities call in a column published on Sunday June 16 on the L’Equipe website to vote against the far right during the early legislative elections of June 30 and July 7.
“Today, we are behind, on the verge of losing the match. But we still have a few days of extra time to react,” they write in this column. “Let’s vote against the far right, which has just achieved a historic score in the European elections,” they add.
“We are well aware of the growing difficulties many face in making ends meet, anger at inequality, lack of commitment and fear of the future. But as professional sportspeople, coaches and decision-makers , we cannot resign ourselves to seeing the extreme right take power in our country,” they continue.
The platform has been signed at this stage by more than 60 personalities, athletes, coaches or managers, including former athletes Marie-José Pérec and Monique Ewanje-Epée, sailors Isabelle Autissier and François Gabart, former footballer Vikash Dhorasoo or again the ex-rugbymen Serge Betsen and Fulgence Ouedraogo or Yannick Noah, the last Frenchman to win the Roland-Garros tournament.
“The far right exploits these differences and manipulates our fears to divide us”
Its authors believe that the far right “tramples on respect”, which they erect as “one of the cornerstones of sport”. Sport, they emphasize, “has shown us that despite our differences; skin colors, religions, accents, cultures, sexual orientations, disabilities, genders, we are part of the same team, and that our diversity is a strength”.
“The far right,” they continue, “exploits these differences and manipulates our fears to divide us.” “We have an extraordinary opportunity to show our country that we, sportsmen and women and actors in this world, call for a more inclusive and democratic society.”
“We can build a France where each individual, whatever their origin, is treated with dignity”, conclude the signatories, which also includes the former boxer Brahim Asloum, the ex-tennis player Marion Bartoli, the walker Yohann Diniz, the fencers Astrid Guyart and Ysaora Thibus or the swimmer Malia Metella.
