Judo Champion Teddy Riner Announces Candidacy for French Presidential Elections

Teddy Riner, the five-time Olympic judo gold medalist who continues to compete in the sport, announced his candidacy for the French presidency to succeed Emmanuel Macron in the 2027 election, according to a video posted on social media on Monday. The 37-year-old, seated in front of a bookshelf and wearing a white shirt and a dark jacket, said, “My name is Teddy Riner, and today I am telling you to your face that I am a candidate for the 2027 presidential election,” adding, “Struggle has always been part of me. I know what it means to fight, to fall, and always to rise.” Riner’s announcement, which came after he had the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron at the Paris 2024 Games, was made through an interview with Le Parisien newspaper and a video posted on his social media accounts. He described himself as an independent candidate rooted in civil society, stating he is “neither from the right nor from the left,” and expressed his aim to become a president who unites and brings together the French people, as well as his desire to restore hope and revitalize France.