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What happened in Tel Aviv?
Clarisse Agbegnenou, who was making her return to competition at the Grand Slam in Tel Aviv in the -63 kg category after her maternity leave, appeared on the tatami with a kimono from her personal sponsor Mizuno, while the federation is under contract with Double D, Adidas' worldwide licensee for combat sports.
A decision that went wrong with the federation: "It puts us at odds, I find that it is not respecting the French team", lamented Stéphane Nomis, the president, in an interview with the AFP.
According to the rules of the International Federation, if the kimono of a judoka is not regulation, this one can be deprived of his trainer during the fights.
Stéphane Nomis decided to apply this sanction to the five-time European champion who was therefore deprived of her referent coach in the France team, Ludovic Delacotte, in Tel Aviv, where she was eliminated in the quarter-finals.
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Why this choice of Agbegnenou?
Since January 1, 2022, Adidas has succeeded Mizuno as the federation's equipment supplier, which requires tricolor kimonos to be stamped Adidas in all major competitions, until 2024.
The French Clarisse Agbegnenou facing the Japanese Chizuru Arai during the team event of the 2021 Olympic Games on July 31, 2021 in Tokyo © Franck FIFE / AFP / Archives
Agbegnenou had not fought with an Adidas kimono for five years and therefore preferred to keep the one she was used to wearing, from the equipment manufacturer Mizuno.
"They could have said to me: + Listen Clarisse, it's complicated, it's not our equipment supplier. We know that you don't know the kimono so we can give it to you to try it on and that way you can see if you can fight with it. (But) they did not bring me any solution", she regretted, deploring "a lack of respect" from the federation, in an interview with AFP.
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How to get out of this crisis?
In this context, the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castera and the federation advocate dialogue so as not to affect the sporting career of the judoka, great hope of medals at the 2024 Olympics. The French judo team had won eight medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, including three in gold.
"We really need this champion to be happy to wear this kimono. I am confident, we will find the solution in the days to come", declared the minister during a press conference at the World Ski Championships in Courchevel in FEBRUARY.
She should receive Agbegnenou soon, during a long-planned meeting, according to her cabinet.
The solution put forward by Stéphane Nomis would be to negotiate "a new agreement (a contract which defines the rights and duties of the athletes towards the federation, editor's note) and we do it properly, calmly".
Contacted by AFP, the federation assures that "discussions are progressing", without being able to give more details, while the 2023 Worlds which will take place in Doha, from May 7 to 15 are approaching.
The entourage of the judoka, did not wish to comment.
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Why does Teddy Riner get a waiver?
After several months of negotiation, Teddy Riner had been authorized to display the Under Armor logo in 2017 while the federation was in contract with Mizuno.
Since 2020, the three-time Olympic champion and ten-time world champion has worn a kimono stamped Fight Art, his own brand.
"Why am I not treated the same as Teddy? Why am I being hurt so much? Maybe they don't want my success," Agbegnenou told Franceinfo last week, deploring an "injustice".
Cédric Dermée, president of Double D and former judoka, admitted that the choice of Teddy Riner had been "tolerated" when signing the partnership with the federation.
"He wears his own brand which, over the period, will not harm us. On the other hand, Clarisse wears Mizuno, our main competitor on the market", he specified.
© 2023 AFP