Paris (AFP)
The sharp French Stephen Boyer, best scorer of Euro-2019 volleyball, has renounced for personal reasons the Olympic qualification tournament (TQO), which begins Sunday in Berlin, said Thursday the coach of the Blues Laurent Tillie, confirming information of the team.
"He will not be with us. It is a personal decision, I cannot intervene. We take note," explained French coach Laurent Tillie to AFP.
The player told L'Equipe: "I still want to play for the France team and I hope to be present this summer. It hurts me not to be able to come and help my teammates in Berlin but that's how it is today hui ", without specifying the exact reasons for this package. However, he brushed aside rumors of an altercation with Earvin Ngapeth at the end of Euro-2019, as reported by several Italian media.
At 23, Boyer was one of the revelations of the last Euro, with in particular a breathtaking performance during the victory in the quarterfinals against Italy (25 points, including 9 aces).
To make up for his absence, Laurent Tillie will bet on Jean Patry, used sparingly during Euro-2019. The coach will leave with a second specialist in Berlin, either John Wendt or Julien Winkelmuller, present during the preparation course for which Boyer was summoned but was not present.
It is a new blow for the French volleyball players after the packages of Thibault Rossard and Trevor Clevenot, while Julien Lyneel suffers from the back and that Kevin Tillie is awaiting the birth of his daughter in the coming days in Warsaw.
The Blues, 2015 European champions, compete in Berlin from Sunday the European TQO, which will issue the last ticket for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Competition promises to be very strong, with notably Serbia, European champion 2019, Slovenia, vice-champion of Europe 2019 and Germany, vice-champion of Europe 2017 and pushed by its public.
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