Fillon Maillet takes out the rifle against the haters. We were absolutely not ready for what was going to happen when QFM came to the microphone of the L’Equipe channel to debrief his fourth place in the Anterselva mass start on Sunday, he who seemed to have done what was necessary to snatch his first individual podium of the season. After expressing his disappointment, the hero of the Beijing Olympics then looked at the camera “straight in the eye” to send an unequivocal message to those who, well hidden behind their TV, criticize him and the other French biathletes , they who have had a disastrous first part of the season so far.
“Two years ago I was put on a pedestal, like a biathlon god, and this year the criticism is strong. I find it a pity. I am addressing the spectators who are a little easy to criticize or who imagine that biathlon is easy, we give a lot of ourselves and the people who are there to criticize us, that they go and put (NRJ ) 12, watch reality TV, that’s what it’s for, you can criticize and release your venom, he said. We do biathlon, we give our best every day and we expect the people who follow us to support us and not to bring us down. »
“If you think you are better than us, go get a license from the French ski federation and try biathlon to see how difficult it is. And for the less courageous, I suggest they apply to the federation as a coach, technician, selector or advisor of all kinds, that they get off their sofa and come and give us their advice, continued the five-time Olympic medalist from Beijing. I am speaking to a minority. I thank everyone else because there was a lot of encouragement on the sidelines and on the networks. Thank you for this support. And I don’t thank the detractors, people will recognize themselves in all that. » The message got through, and rather twice than once.