Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: “A scandal, I was robbed”… the anger of Toulouse fencer Maxime Valet
Colère et frustration chez le Toulousain Maxime Valet, qui rêvait d'un nouveau podium individuel en fleuret. MAXPPP – LP/Jean-Baptiste Quentin
L’escrimeur en fauteuil, éliminé en repêchages pour la médaille de bronze, ce mercredi 4 septembre, estime n’avoir pas pu défendre ses chances en raison d’un arbitrage à sens unique.
Wheelchair fencer Maxime Valet was furious on Wednesday after his elimination from the category B foil tournament at the Paris Paralympic Games, the victim, according to him, of a “scandal”.
“This match is a real scandal, I can't play. “I was robbed of my Games in this match,” he said in the mixed zone, annoyed by refereeing decisions during his third round of repechage lost to Ukrainian Oleg Naumenko (15-5). “It's anger, injustice that I feel.”
World number two and favorite
Eliminated in his first match in the quarter-finals by China's Hu Daoliang (15-8), the 37-year-old from Toulouse was sent back to the repechage to try to win a second individual bronze medal after the one he won in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. “I had other ambitions for today”, he admitted. The day after his fifth place in the sabre, Maxime Valet hoped to climb onto the podium in his favourite weapon, the foil. European vice-champion last March in Paris and world number two, he was among the contenders for the gold medal.
Read also: Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: after three bronze medals, Toulouse fencer Maxime Valet in search of gold
“I lacked a bit of luck on certain actions, one or two refereeing decisions that could have gone the other way”, he already regretted in the morning, after his initial defeat against the Chinese, ranked eighth in the world. “What annoyed me, above all, was not being able to set up my game.”
“It must not end like this”
After fifteen years of practice with the able-bodied, Maxime Valet started wheelchair fencing in 2009 following his paraplegia after falling into a hole on a construction site. A sports doctor alongside his career, he has climbed onto numerous international podiums, including an individual European champion title in 2016 and three bronze medals at the Paralympic Games: in team foil in 2016 and 2020 and in individual foil category B in 2016.
For his last Games, Maxime Valet will not compete in the first individual Paralympic final of his career. He has two additional chances with the team épée and the team foil, starting Thursday. “We're going to have to digest it and start again tomorrow, but it's unbearable. What makes me angry is that I was ready, I was strong but it must not end like this”, he regretted.
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