PARIS, Nov 9 — France’s five-time Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner announced today that he would run in the country’s high-stakes presidential election next year.
“My name is Teddy Riner and today, I am telling you face to face: I am a candidate in the 2027 presidential election,” the 37-year-old said in a surprise announcement on social media.
Riner, among France’s best-known sports figures, enters the race with far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen leading in the polls to replace centrist President Emmanuel Macron next year.
He has publicly said he was very worried about the “rise of the far right” in France.
