Tokyo Olympics: the confidences of Evan Fournier before the final against the United States

What if it was his week, his fortnight or just “his” Olympic Games?

Absent in Rio five years ago, the winger who has just initialed a 4-year contract and 78m dollars in favor of the New York Knicks will seek gold with the Blues tonight against the United States.

Before, perhaps, realizing his dream, the native of Charenton (Val-de-Marne) told us about his Tokyo Games.

You were among the first to arrive, here you are among the last to leave.

How does it feel to be the captains of the Olympic Village?

EVAN FOURNIER.

This is the lot of co sports!

But it's funny, we see the delegations arriving, leaving, the village filling up and emptying itself ... It's special as the atmosphere, but it is also due to Covid-19 and to the fact that once eliminated, we have 48 hours to leave the village.

Usually everyone can stay until the end, it must be more festive.

Does the village correspond to what you imagined?

I wasn't sure what to expect.

But it's nice, everything is well organized.

There are even some super beautiful spots, including the Olympic rings with a view of the magnificent Raimbow Bridge.

The only bad thing are the cardboard beds (laughs).

Needless to say, I prefer the comforts of home.

But hey, we're not here for that.

Have you been able to interact with other sports?

Ah, I am not one of those who have easy contact.

Some are really sociable, I am rather reserved.

I won't go so far as to say lonely, but I really like having my space, and time to myself.

How do you experience these Games behind closed doors?

It would have been better to have the fans with us, that's clear!

But I'm already happy that they kept the Games going.

It hit me hard when they announced it would be in camera.

We expected to have 10,000 people, that would have been superb.

But it's like that.

Did you fear that they would never take place?

Ah yes, of course I was afraid of the cancellation and I was not the only one I think.

It gave me a bit of a blow to my morale.

At that point, I was like “ho la la la, am I never going to do the Games or what?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Evan Mehdi Fournier (@ evanfournier10)

Has the wound of not having done them in 2016 healed?

I am someone who quickly turns the page.

But some things cannot be forgotten, they are part of your story, of what shapes you and what helps you to move forward.

But I can't tell you I'm hurt.

I was at the time, I was very touched for a few weeks, but then I started to move forward.

Is the file closed with Vincent Collet?

Yes, of course, otherwise I won't be there in Tokyo (Laughs).

Are you known for your outspokenness?

Where is he from ?

I do not know.

That's what they say, after me I remain myself.

If someone asks me a question, I simply answer.

I try not to hurt people with my frankness.

But I think you have to tell it like it is.

This franchise, is it what pushes you to put the bronze medal in your sock after the 3rd place obtained in the world?

Let's say I'm a whole person.

But, that was something else again.

I wasn't happy with this medal so I didn't want to wear it, that's all.

Would it be the same if you didn't get gold in Tokyo?

The circumstances were different.

In China, we missed something big, perhaps the title of world champions.

If you lose against better than you, the medal you accept.

But this was not the case, suddenly the medal I did not want.

In Tokyo, you have finally won a semi-final in blue ...

Since I have been in the French team, we have failed three times (2014, 2015, 2019).

There, we finally passed a milestone.

I think we have a great group, a mix of generations, guys who like to see each other and play together.

There is no ego.

Everyone knows their role.

Two years ago after Argentina we promised ourselves not to make the same mistake again.

It was close, but the course, we passed it.

Now there is one last game to go for.

To read alsoThe basketball medalists in 2000 believe in the feat in the final of the Olympics: "We will play them eye to eye"

What does this Olympic final represent?

It is a step towards a dream, that of winning the Olympics against the United States.

We will have to rest, try to move on and prepare as best as possible because we are expected.

Apparently they've been preparing for us for two years.

The fact of having already beaten them in hen, it will be even worse.

It will be the most complicated game for us in this competition.

Will the USA be better than in the first game?

I haven't looked at them but from a physical point of view, it's obvious.

Three of their players arrived just after the NBA Finals.

I don't know about you, but it took me a week to fall asleep with the jet lag.

It is also a team that has very little common experience.

The more time passes, the more they pick up the pace.

Can you beat them?

What is needed is to take the game as it is.

Of course they are superior to us but can we beat them and do we have real know-how?

Of course, and we will have to rely on that to be able to worry them.

Does the France - USA final of the Sydney Games in 2000 speak to you?

I was 8 years old, I never looked at her.

I was disappointed that Laurent Foirest (assistant coach) did not tell me about it and that he did not bring back his medal to give us a little motivation.

I would have liked to know how he experienced that.