From the Guardian · · 1m 50s
Judo champion Teddy Riner runs for French president
Five-times Olympic gold medallist Teddy Riner announces candidacy, positioning himself as a unifying centrist figure in a polarised race.
In brief
Five-times Olympic gold medallist Teddy Riner announces candidacy, positioning himself as a unifying centrist figure in a polarised race. Teddy Riner, France's five-times Olympic judo champion, announced a presidential run for the April-May election, positioning himself as neither leftwing nor rightwing and seeking to…
Olympic champion enters race
Teddy Riner, five-times Olympic judo gold medallist, announced he is running in France's next presidential election, scheduled for April-May.
Riner positions himself as centrist
Riner described himself as neither leftwing nor rightwing, saying he would seek to bring people together and offer common sense and justice.
Race shaped by political extremes
With more than five months before the ballot to replace Emmanuel Macron, polls show the political centre hollowing out, with Marine Le Pen's National Rally and Jean-Luc Mélenchon's radical-left trailing.
Riner defends his outsider status
In a social media video, Riner acknowledged critics would call him crazy and inexperienced, but said refusing to bow his head and refusing chaos made him the right choice.
“If refusing to bow my head and refusing the chaos makes me crazy, then yes, I'm completely crazy.”
Riner cites judo experience
The thirty-seven-year-old, born in Guadeloupe and raised in Paris, said his years fighting opponents taught him to fall and get up, skills France needs now.
“Fighting has always been part of me. I know what it's like to fight, fall and always get up.”
Riner calls for unity and hope
He told Le Parisien that France faces deep divisions and no candidate offers a credible vision to bring people together rather than divide them further.
“The country is experiencing deep divisions right now, let's not kid ourselves.”
Analysts doubt his chances
Dani Podgoretskaya at Eurasia Group said Riner has little chance of being seen as serious, lacking experience, party backing and a detailed programme.
Riner seeks to balance careers
If elected, Riner said he hoped to strike a balance between his presidency and competing in the two thousand twenty-eight Los Angeles Olympics.
What matters most
Teddy Riner, France's five-times Olympic judo champion, announced a presidential run for the April-May election, positioning himself as neither leftwing nor rightwing and seeking to unite a polarised country.
