Emmanuel Macron against Russian flags at the Olympics and cautious about Chalureau

reaction In “L'Equipe”, the president believes that Russia has “no place at a time when it has committed war crimes” and that a non-selection of the rugby player would be “preferable” in the event of a conviction on appeal

Emmanuel Macron on September 5 2023. — Stephane Lemouton-POOL/SIPA

He speaks out on two hot topics. French President Emmanuel Macron estimated that there could “not be the Russian flag at the Games” Olympic Games in Paris, Russia having “no place in the Olympics in Paris,’ a moment when she committed war crimes, in an interview with the daily L’Equipe published Wednesday evening,

In the same interview, Emmanuel Macron estimates that two days before the start of the Rugby World Cup for the Blues that it would be “preferable” that the player Bastien Chalureau no longer plays for the French team if his conviction for violence against racist character were confirmed on appeal.

Questioned on the possible presence of Russian athletes at the event. individual title at the Olympic Games in the summer of 2024, the Head of State responded: “ I hope that it is a decision in conscience of the Olympic world (…) it is not the Host State which must decide what the IOC must do (…) I have complete confidence in the IOC. Thomas Bach », the chairman of the Committee Olympic international.

« What place to give to these Russian athletes?President Macron also wanted that “Ukrainians be associated with this reflection ». « Obviously, there cannot be the Russian flag at the Paris Games, I believe that çthere was a consensus », he said in this interview with the sports newspaper, “because that Russia as a country has no place in the world. a moment when she committed war crimes, whereù she deports children.

“The real question that the Olympic world will have to decide is what place to give to Olympic sports. “These Russian athletes who sometimes have prepared for a lifetime, and can also be victims of this regime,” he continues.

But how can we differentiate between Russian athletes who are accomplices and victims of the regime? “That’s the real question and therefore it’s the real question. where the Olympic world consciously has its own opinion; give and guarantees clarify,” explains the head of state: “And it must be understood by the Ukrainians (…) Here’ the balancing act that we will have to carry out. 

« Cohesion of the nation » on Chalureau

Returning to the Chalureau affair, which made the news; of the French team this week, Macron specifies: “If there are convictions on serious, established facts, which affect the cohesion of the nation, yes, this “would be preferable,” that the second row no longer wears the jersey of the France team.

Chalureau, called Friday to compensate for the absence due to injury of Paul Willemse, was condemned in 2020 by the Toulouse Criminal Court six months suspended prison sentence for “ acts of violence with the circumstance that the latter were punished  committed because of the victim’s race or ethnicity. He appealed this judgment. “Justice must be able to pronounce in its own time, in complete serenity. The presumption of innocence and the right to appeal exist, said the judge. Emmanuel Macron.

According to the President of the Republic, the choice of the coach of the XV of France Fabien Galthié, to summon Bastien Chalureau, is “necessarily the right one for the team. “Fabien knows what he (Chalureau) can bring to the French fifteen, his chemistry with the other players”, added Emmanuel Macron.

Les Bleus, who are among the favorites during the World Cup organized by on their soil, begin the competition on Friday at the Stade de France against New Zealand, three-time world champion (1987, 2011, 2015).