More than 150 medalists from Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, like the handball player Luc Abalo or the judoka Clarisse Agbégnénou, were promoted on Friday and were granted the Legion of Honor or the National Order of Merit.
This is a special promotion, traditionally awarded after an Olympic edition, and the list of which was published in the Official Journal on Friday.
The medalists of the Tokyo Games, an unprecedented edition held this summer behind closed doors due to the pandemic, are to be received at the beginning of next week at the Elysee Palace, probably on Monday, several sources told AFP.
More medalists than in 2016
In 2016 for the Rio Olympics, 92 medalists were distinguished. This time, if the results were less good than in Rio, the list is longer because of the success of French team sports: gold in volleyball and men’s hand, gold in women’s hand, silver for men’s basketball.
The double Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner, in London and Rio, is elevated to the rank of officer of the Legion of Honor thanks to the gold obtained in the mixed team judo event.
Just like the two handball players, gold medalists, Luc Abalo and Mickael Guigou, the tennis player Stéphane Houdet, gold medalist in doubles at the Paralympic Games and the two paragliders Fabien Lamirault and Stéphane Molliens.
Judoka Clarisse Agbégnénou (gold in individual and mixed team) is she promoted to the rank of knight, like Amandine Buchart, another judokate, or, among others, handballers Grace Zaadi, Estelle Minko, Allison Pineau, and volleyball players like Jean Patry or Clement Lénot. But also Romain Cannone, swordsman, who offered France its first title of the Games.
Very precise criteria
They are also a long list to have been promoted knight of the National Order of Merit, such as basketball player Nicolas Batum, silver medalist, or even the girls of rugby sevens who also won silver.
Initiated in principle by General de Gaulle for the Innsbruck Winter Games in 1964, the decoration of Olympic medalists meets very specific criteria.
If the athlete is participating for the first time in the Games, he or she 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 wins a gold medal again at subsequent Games, the athlete 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.
READ ALSO. IN IMAGES, IN PICTURES. Find all the French medals at the Tokyo Olympics
For the reissue of a silver or bronze medal, or if the result is lower, no promotion is granted.
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