“it’s very courageous, two days before a Euro match”, greets Jean-François Lamour

Jean-François Lamour, former Minister of Sports, returned to Kylian Mbappé’s position at Euro 2024 in Germany and Emmanuel Macron’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly six weeks before the start of the Olympic Games from Paris. He was the guest of the info club, Sunday June 16

Jean François Lamour, former Minister of Sports and double Olympic saber champion in 1984 and 1988, welcomes, on franceinfo, the position of Kylian Mbappé, who declared, Sunday June 16, to be “against extremes, ideas that divide”highlighting the “values ​​of tolerance, diversity and respect”with a view to the legislative elections.

It is according to him “courageous for a player of this caliber” because “talking two days before a Euro match is never easy”, he said. Jean-François Lamour recalls that Jacques Chirac, whose Minister of Sports he was, had affirmed not “Never” TO DO “compromise with the extremes”.

“The players are right to express themselves”estimates the former champion and consultant for Radio France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, even if he did not do it when he was an athlete, because he always “thought that the French should be left free to vote as they felt”.

He adds having “very bad experience” his first Olympic Games, during the Cold War in 1980, where he was dependent on a diplomatic decision by France, which threatened to boycott the Moscow Games. “Three weeks before, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing finally authorized us to leave, but without an anthem, without a flag, without a parade”he recalls. “This marks” he confides.

“Always be careful when an athlete or sporting entity takes sides.”

Jean-François Lamour, former Minister of Sports and consultant for Radio France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

at franceinfo

Concerning Emmanuel Macron’s decision to call early legislative elections, Jean François Lamour believes that“Faced with a non-presidential majority, there were two parties which did everything to bring about dissolution”, but that it is “a very bad time for the Olympic Games”. Emmanuel Macron should have “take the measure of this risk”while France will welcome “televisions and millions of spectators” Venus “of the whole world”he laments.

There is very little chance that he “an absolute majority”regrets the former minister, who fears “a political slump”but also “demonstrations” and “incidents” if “such and such a party comes to power”.

Asked about the security of the event, “I found a super solid team” when he was invited by the Minister of the Interior a few months ago, “so I don’t really have any fears about the safety devices”he said.