Biathlete Quentin Fillon Maillet, skaters Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron but also para-skier Arthur Bauchet are among the seven Olympic and Paralympic champions from Beijing who were granted the Legion of Honor on Thursday.
Clément Noël, gold medalist in slalom, and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, titled in mass start in biathlon, are also part of this special promotion, traditionally awarded after an Olympic edition, and whose list was published in the Official Journal on Thursday.
The other medalists, silver and bronze, mounted for the first on a podium in China were appointed to the National Order of Merit.
Benjamin Daviet, twice titled in biathlon and Paralympic vice-champion in cross-country skiing, has been promoted to officer.
Like snowboarder Cécile Hernandez.
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Initiated by General de Gaulle for the Innsbruck Winter Games in 1964, the decoration of Olympic medalists meets very specific criteria.
Are not eligible, for example, athletes who have received a court conviction entered in the criminal record.
If the sportsman or sportswoman takes part in the Games for the first time, he is made a Knight of the Legion of Honor in the event of a gold medal and a Knight of the National Order of Merit for silver or bronze.
If he again wins a gold medal at subsequent Games, the sportsman is promoted to officer of the Legion of Honor, on condition that he has at least eight years of seniority in the rank of knight.
If this is not the case, he is made an officer of the National Order of Merit.
For the reissue of a silver or bronze medal, or if the result is lower, no promotion is granted.
