Monday morning, as early as twinkling, the Insep reopened its doors. Correction: Insep has partially opened its doors. “Even if our establishment never stopped operating during confinement, because the various services, medical, maintenance, security are remains on the bridge “, specifies its director, Ghani Yalouz.
To see athletes around again, it will take a few more days. And in small groups as detailed by Ghani Yalouz. What is certain, however, it’s just a ministerial decree, released yesterday, allows some 5,000 sportsmen of high level to find the path of training in accessible equipment, but with infinite health precautions. Except for combat sports and team sports, who are confined to waiting …
This means that a Kevin Mayer can find his stadium at Creps in Montpellier, one of the twenty establishments linked to the great Insep, whose reopenings are the responsibility of the regional councils. But that a Teddy Riner still cannot grab a rival’s kimono on a tatami mat in the Bois de Vincennes. The double Olympic judo champion will have to content himself with martyring a dummy, the poor …
Ghani, do you have any idea of a return to normal for the Insep, with its 700 athletes?
Any ! Year in and year out, between 1,200 and 1,500 people attend INSEP daily, in normal times. We are not about to regain this influx. I’m a public servant, I follow the directives. However, the main one consists in not taking any risk, either to the athletes or to the staff of the Insep …
This reopening will be done drop by drop?
It’s the right word, indeed. We sort of hand sewn so that athletes can come back.
“No way playing with sanitary rules”
Did the first ones arrive this Monday?
No, it is too early. Today (read Monday), we we are still exchanging with all the stakeholders, namely the Ministry of Sports, the ANS, the Federations, the staff, the unions, the national technical directors… I hope that before the end of the week, things will be in order.
Are you ready to welcome athletes?
Absolutely! You know, we’ve been working on this recovery for a long time. All the buildings are nickel, the gyms too. We even emptied the pool, which is usually done in August …
What about sanitary equipment?
We have masks, hydroalcoholic gels. We also have visors. Nothing was left to chance. No question of playing with sanitary rules. Everything takes place in close collaboration with Sébastien Le Garrec, our boss of the medical service, who remained open. In this regard, do not forget that the Insep was at one time requisitioned to house patients of the Covid-19. We had 60 rooms available in Building B. There never was more than three sick, in fact.
“It’s not an easy task to put in place the rules of social distancing”
On what criteria are the athletes chosen to return to the Insep facilities?
It is a tripartite work between the Federations, the National Sport Agency and us. It is up to the DTNs of each sport to identify the athletes first. They are the ones who know them best. They take into account certain parameters, such as the Olympic qualification system. Some have their ticket to Tokyo, others don’t. We must think of the disciplines that provide medals. To the athletes of the Paris 2024 generation. Then the ANS draws up the list. We are here to host the athletes. Not all at once at the same time …
Are there still obstacles to your recovery process?
We are ready, I say it again. There is, however, the issue of catering at the Insep that has not been resolved. It is not an easy task to put in place the rules of social distancing. Here, I went to the dentist in the morning and I was struck by a scene. As soon as I got out of the chair I saw him cleaning everything from top to bottom in the cabinet …
The Creps are slowly getting back into working order
Twenty Creps also see the end of the tunnel. Within the framework of the great Insep, the animation of the performance is managed there by the sports temple of the Bois de Vincennes, but the decision of their reopening is up to the region, as a landowner. Here, too, the recovery will take place drop by drop. Yesterday it was premature to reopen, with each Creps having to wait for the ministerial decree authorizing some 5,000 top athletes to resume training in accessible equipment, including indoors. With all the health precautions for distance use in particular. Only combat sports and team sports do not benefit from this exemption. Game postponed to June 2?
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