Paris (AFP)
The French men's water polo team will not see the Tokyo Games this summer, after their defeat against Greece on Friday, on penalties, in the quarter-finals of the Olympic qualifying tournament in Rotterdam (Netherlands).
The Blues had to take one of the first three places in this TQO to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics-2020, postponed for a year to summer 2021 (July 23-August 8) due to the Covid pandemic- 19.
After snatching the 13-13 equalizer thirty seconds from the end of the fourth quarter, the French lost on penalties 4-1 against Greece, present at all Olympic tournaments since 1980.
The French took 11th place (out of 12) at the Rio Olympics in 2016, for their first participation in the Olympics since Barcelona-1992.
They will be automatically qualified for the Paris Games in 2024, as hosts.
© 2021 AFP