The legendary ex-player ofFrance handball teamJackson Richardson, and former paratennis champion Mickaël Jéremiasz were inducted on Wednesday as heads of mission of the French team’s delegation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024the Olympic Committee announced at a press conference on Wednesday.
The 54-year-old former handball player, world champion in 1995 and 2001, voted best player in the world in 1995, and bronze medalist at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, was notably the flag bearer for the French delegation at the Athens Olympics. in 2004.
“It’s something great to bring my experience and my experience as an athlete”, welcomed the former handball player, alongside the new president of the French Olympic Committee David Lappartient.
A role of “spokesperson” and “ambassador”
Usually, the role of head of mission is vested in an “experienced federal”, explained David Lappartient. They will be in charge of “cohesion”, he said. Their “role” will be “less operational and more emblematic”, added Marie-Amélie Le Fur, president of the French Paralympic Committee (CPSF).
During the Olympic Games, for example, they will be able to play the role of “spokesperson” and “ambassador”, summed up Mickaël Jéremiasz, Olympic champion in doubles para-tennis in Beijing in 2008. He too has extensive Olympic experience since he been on the podium four times (silver in doubles and bronze in singles in 2004, gold in Beijing in doubles in 2008, and bronze in London in doubles in 2012), and flag bearer in Rio in 2016.
Jackson Richardson will participate in the seminar for heads of mission of foreign Olympic committees which takes place from Friday for several days in Paris.