Less than five months before the start of the Paris Olympic Games, the French fencing team has its new staff in charge of men's epee.
The one responsible for easing the tensions which erupted after the 2023 Worlds between on one side the federation, and on the other the three main figures of the discipline among the Blues: the reigning Olympic champion Romain Cannone and his traditional associates of the team event, Yannick Borel and Alexandre Bardenet.
The new boss is called Gauthier Grumier, individual bronze and gold medalist with the French collective at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016. Appointed at the end of last week, the 39-year-old former fencer was until now the assistant manager. 'Hugues Obry, ex-manager returned to the fold of the French federation after the Tokyo Games.
But he, on sick leave for the second time this season in February and accused of moral harassment by several of his athletes, ended up submitting his resignation.
Grumier, interim during his former coach's sick leave, worked last weekend on his new project with the national technical director, Jean-Yves Robin.
The general manager responsible for leading the collective to the Olympics decided to surround himself with Frédéric Chotin, technical manager until now in charge of training the fencing masters, and Hugues Obry, relaunched in a role of supervising the young Blues, analysis of opponents and data.
Cannone, Borel and Bardenet absent from Tuesday meeting
A way to avoid direct contact with the Bardenet-Borel-Cannone trio, who have decided to train mainly in clubs, in Levallois-Perret for the first two and in Saint-Maur for the third.
None of the three attended the meeting, organized on Tuesday noon at Insep, where Gauthier Grumier unveiled his roadmap for the Games.
According to several sources, the meeting did not fit their training constraints.
Grumier, Olympic team champion with Yannick Borel in 2016 and who was on the bench during Romain Cannone's appearances during the first team event of the season in Bern (Switzerland), must meet them in the coming days to discuss.
But in the meantime, the Blues are in Hungary to participate this weekend in the Budapest Grand Prix.
On the banks of the Danube, Grumier will be in charge of the male swordsmen, but without Frédéric Chotin, retained in France by weapons master certifications.
The new manager will benefit from the help of his women's counterpart, Hervé Faget, if several of his fencers appear on the track simultaneously.
Obry will focus on young people.
With the intention of riding on the good intentions of Heidenheim, the last stage of the World Cup where Romain Cannone and Luidgi Midelton finished in the quarter-final and Paul Allègre took bronze.
And to try to bring serenity on the road to the 2024 Olympics.