“We cannot resign ourselves to seeing the extreme right take power,” write 160 French sports figures in a column

Marie-José Pérec, Marion Bartoli, Fulgence Ouedraogo ou encore Yannick Noah, 160 personnalités du sport ont signé une tribune.

Plusieurs dizaines de personnalités du sport français appellent dans une tribune publiée dimanche 16 juin sur le site de L'Equipe à voter contre extrême droite lors des élections législatives anticipées des 30 juin et 7 juillet.

"Today we are behind, on the verge of losing the match. But we still have a few days left to react,” they write in this column. "Let's vote against the extreme right, which has just achieved a historic score in the European elections", they add.

"We are well aware of the growing difficulties many face in making ends meet, anger at inequality, lack of commitment and fear of 39;s future. But as professional athletes, coaches and decision-makers, we cannot resign ourselves to seeing the extreme right take power in our country, they continue.

The platform has been signed at this stage by more than 60 personalities, athletes, coaches or managers, including former athletes Marie-José Pérec and Monique Ewanje-Epée, sailors Isabelle Autissier and François Gabart, the former footballer Vikash Dhorasoo or the ex-rugby players Serge Betsen and Fulgence Ouedraogo or Yannick Noah, the last Frenchman to win the Roland-Garros tournament.

"The far right exploits these differences and manipulates our fears to divide us"

Its authors believe that the extreme right "tramples on respect", that they set themselves up as "the' one of the cornerstones of sport. Sport, they emphasize, "has shown us that despite our differences; skin colors, religions, accents, cultures, sexual orientations, disabilities, genders, we are part of the same team, and our diversity is a strength.

"The far right, they continue, exploits these differences and manipulates our fears to divide us." "We have an extraordinary opportunity to show our country that we, athletes and players in this world, are calling for a more inclusive and democratic society."

"We can build a France where each individual, whatever their origin, is treated with dignity", conclude the signatories, where the former boxer Brahim is also found Asloum, the ex-tennis player Marion Bartoli, the walker Yohann Diniz, the fencers Astrid Guyart and Ysaora Thibus or the swimmer Malia Metella.