Patrick Montel, in 2016. -

GUYON Nathalie / FTV

The voice of athletics on France Televisions has bowed out.

Patrick Montel bade farewell to viewers on Sunday in

Stade 2 

on France 2. "Passion is impermeable to the passage of time" declared the man who began his career as a commentator on the public service in 1987.

After the broadcast of a report summarizing the highlights of his career, the journalist, moved, explained on set the meaning of the motto "So maybe?

He wore on his T-shirt.

“It is the summary of an existence.

In life, nothing is ever over.

All those who are in front of us, who are hoping, who say to themselves that they are not lucky, that they are not going to get there ... If you are going to get there, because it is "Then maybe".

You have to have self-confidence and that confidence on a track, it gives Marie-Jo [Pérec], it gives Colette Besson, it gives Flora Gueï.

"

"I close the page of a book"

From now on, the athletics events will be commented on on France Télévisions by the pair Alex Boyon-Alex Pasteur.

"As for me, I am closing the page of a book this evening, but I am telling you, I will open another!

Notice to amateurs!

», Added Patrick Montel.

He spoke both figuratively and literally since, on June 1, 2021,

My Heroes of the Olympics

will be published by Editions du Rocher

, in which he will return to the Olympic courses of big names in sport.

"Passion is impervious to the passage of time .." And you have passed on your passion and your love for #athletism to us during these 34 years! 💙🏃‍♂️Thank you Patrick @LaProlon, but we will miss you Great topic for your start in # Stade2! 👏👍 @ francetvsport @lartot #PatrickMontel pic.twitter.com/qoX20Q3qiS

- Florence de Silva (@Flodesil) November 8, 2020

Patrick Montel was sidelined after publicly showing his support for marathon runner Clémence Calvin on Facebook.

The latter was targeted by the anti-doping authorities for having evaded a routine check.

More generally, it would be his position on the issue of doping in athletics that disturbed the leaders of the television group.

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