“This guy got everyone to agree”: Antoine Dupont praised by his president Didier Lacroix after his exceptional Olympics

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Antoine Dupont est "un exemple", a salué le président du Stade Toulousain.

A major contributor to the gold medal won by the French rugby sevens team at the Paris Olympics, Antoine Dupont is “an example”, according to Stade Toulousain president Didier Lacroix, in the midst of the affairs that have tarnished the image of French rugby this summer. “He is incredible”, the manager declared on Wednesday during his traditional back-to-school press conference. “What I have to say to Antoine is thank you. Thank you for French sport, for the French State, for what you have done".

The power that this man has…

The scrum-half succeeded in his gamble of partially abandoning the French XV last season, notably by skipping the Six Nations Tournament, in the hope of being crowned Olympic champion. “He had the humility to enter through the back door, to come and earn his place, to bring this dose of confidence to the competitions. We have seen players magnify themselves like never before", Lacroix praised.

An example for society

"The power that this man has… “To succeed in changing the course of a discipline, in giving confidence to all of his teammates, in making them play better through his presence and his gaze, in giving them a taste for competition”, he added.

This praise from the Toulouse president for his player comes at the end of a tumultuous summer for French rugby between the racist remarks of international full-back Melvyn Jaminet and the accusations of rape against Oscar Jégou and Hugo Auradou during the Blues' tour in Argentina. Dupont “is an example on the sports fields, for rugby and for society”, said Lacroix. “This guy has won everyone over with his humility and strength of conviction”.