French judo star Teddy Riner announced on Monday that he would run in next year's high-stakes presidential election, pledging to be a "president who brings people together".

Issued on: 09/11/2026 - 11:49Modified: 09/11/2026 - 12:49

France's five-time Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner announced on Monday that he would run in the country's high-stakes presidential election next year.

"My name is Teddy Riner and today, I am telling you face to face: I am a candidate in the 2027 presidential election," the 37-year-old athlete said in the surprise announcement on social media.

Riner said in an interview with Le Parisien newspaper published Monday that he is positioning himself as “neither right-wing nor left-wing” and hopes to become a “president who brings people together".

Asked whether his bid should be taken seriously, Riner said “what would be irresponsible would be to remain silent and stand by as a spectator to what is happening in our country, and what has been happening for several years now".

Riner, among France's best-known sports figures, enters the race with far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen leading in the polls to replace centrist President Emmanuel Macron next year.

Protest marches have been drawing huge crowds for weeks in Paris and elsewhere across France as demonstrators demand higher wages and back the country’s student protest movement, piling fresh pressure on the beleaguered government.

Riner said he is aware of the social tensions running through the country and that he can’t accept young people and older generations saying they are struggling to imagine a future for themselves.

“I hear the anger, which some people echo in their rhetoric with a great deal of negativity, coming from people who no longer have any ambition or the desire to think big,” Riner said. “Yet France is a great country. It has allowed me to become the person I am today and given me the opportunity to dream big. Today, that is precisely what is missing. There is no longer that ambition, no longer that hope.”

Riner said in September that wants to end his stellar career with a fourth individual Olympic gold medal at the Los Angeles Games in 2028. Asked by Le Parisien if his presidential bid means he is giving up on the Olympics, the 2.04-meter (6-foot-8) heavyweight said no.

“Not if my duties as president allow it and the French people give me their blessing,” the 11-time world champion said.

French authorities in September said they investigated online racial abuse aimed at Riner after he expressed concern about the rise of the far right. In an interview with French sports television show Stade 2, Riner said he was “freaked out” by the rise of extremism. Asked if he meant “on both sides” – meaning the far left and far right – Riner replied “the far right".

According to polls, the nationalist Marine Le Pen is the front-runner ahead of hard-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

“The country is experiencing deep divisions right now, let’s not kid ourselves,” Riner said. “And in the face of that, I don’t see a single candidate putting forward a credible and fair vision capable of bringing the French people together rather than dividing them. There is no one today offering genuine, sincere hope. It’s always one side against another. I’m running for president to show that we can get France back on its feet. We are capable of achieving great things together.”

Asked about what would be his first initiative on the international stage if he is elected, Riner said he wants to make sure France works well with its allies and commands greater respect.

“A lot of people around me have been talking about my first handshake with Donald Trump,” he said, laughing. “We’ll see who has the firmer handshake.”

Riner has won five Olympic gold medals in judo. He won the heavyweight division at the 2012, 2016 and 2024 Olympics and mixed team golds at the 2020 and 2024 Games.

Riner has also won 11 world titles.

Another French star judoka, David Douillet, was elected to the French parliament in 2009 and served as sports minister from September 2011 to May 2012.

(FRANCE 24 with AP and AFP)

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