Judo: Teddy Riner distances himself from the coach targeted by a sexual assault complaint

Judo superstar Teddy Riner said on Saturday, September 13, that he did not hire coach Eric Despezelle, who is the subject of a complaint for sexual assault against a 24-year-old judoka.

"After the [Paris] Games, I wanted to change coaches. There were several coaching tests. I had announced [at the end of 2024] that I was going to work with him. When this option was announced, I approached the federation, who warned me," said the five-time Olympic champion, during France Day at the Osaka World Expo.

This warning was "very vague," he added. "And so I didn't hire a coach. I'm going here and there, but for now I haven't decided who my coach will be for the 2028 Olympics."

The Guadeloupean, who has only fought once since his victory at the 2024 Olympics at the beginning of the year, also returned to the comments of the president of the French Federation, Stéphane Nomis , who, in Le Monde this week, declared that he had warned Riner in the fall of 2024 "that it was not the right time [to collaborate with Despezelle] since an investigation was underway." "Afterwards, he hires whoever he wants as a personal trainer. We don't know if he has a contract or not. The federation only decides on the national staff," Nomis continued.

"It's funny that the president says he doesn't really know," Riner replied. "Of course he knows, since they're the ones who decide on the national coaches. It's not me who decides, and I've never paid a coach in my entire career; it's always been my club or the federation."

"I didn't understand why he was so vague, why he didn't just tell the truth. Like no, he's not my coach! And that as soon as we heard these stories, there was no question of him becoming my coach," the champion was still surprised.

And to conclude: "For the moment, there has been no judgment but it's true that we are careful. I am a father, I have a daughter, I have a wife, I have a mother, I have sisters so obviously it affects me. It would sadden me to hear another scenario of this kind in my sport."