Guy Drut, 1976 Olympic champion in the 110m hurdles and current member of the International Olympic Committee, has ignited controversy with his remarks on the political alliance between the Republicans (LR) and the National Rally (RN) ahead of the legislative elections. In an interview with Le Monde, Drut expressed his support for Éric Ciotti's agreement with the RN, emphasizing the need to face the alleged 'fascist threat' from the left.
Guy Drut, who served as Minister of Sports in Alain Juppé's government and was a former MP for Seine-et-Marne under the RPR label, voiced his backing for the union of the rights. He labeled prominent figures like Gérard Larcher, Valérie Pécresse, Laurent Wauquiez, and Xavier Bertrand as 'right-wing bobos' who fail to see reality.
Despite still identifying as a 'Chiraquian, republican, and Gaullist,' Drut now considers Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen as representatives of the 'real right.' He dismissed the current RN leadership as a deviation from its predecessor, the National Front, and criticized the New Popular Front by drawing parallels with Eastern Europe in the late 1960s.
His statements quickly drew criticism from Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, the current Minister of Sports, who labeled them as 'a decline.' She criticized Drut's comparison that the 2024 Paris Olympics would not be adversely affected by an RN government, paralleling the situation with the 1972 Munich Olympics marred by a Palestinian commando attack.
Drut maintained that the Olympic Games would proceed smoothly under an RN government, emphasizing that previous events like the Munich attacks didn't hinder the Games from taking place. However, Oudéa-Castéra rebutted, highlighting the inconsistency and contradiction in Drut's stance. She noted Drut's contradictory position of supporting the RN while advocating for the inclusion of veiled sportswomen in the Olympics.
Conceding that he wouldn't participate in a government led by Jordan Bardella, Drut stressed that such a scenario wouldn't bother him. He cited examples from Hungary and Italy, where leaders close to RN's ideology didn't prevent successful staging of international sports events.
- In the interview with Le Parisien, Drut stated that the potential presence of Jordan Bardella as Prime Minister wouldn't affect his view. He mentioned Viktor Orban's leadership in Hungary and Giorgia Meloni's governance in Italy to underline his point that right-wing governments can successfully manage high-profile sports events.
- Drut's stance highlights a significant shift in his political alignment, reflecting broader tensions within French political circles about alliances and the future direction of the country. His comments have brought to light deep divisions and varying perspectives on the balance between sports, politics, and national identity.
- The ongoing debate underscores the complex relationship between political ideology and sportsmanship, as the world prepares for upcoming international athletic events like the Paris 2024 Olympics.
