Latest news with #PaulineFerrandPrevot
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
As France's sports budget faces cuts, are Olympic promises being broken?
One year on from the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, French politicians and sports organisations are hitting out at the government's proposed cuts to the budget for sport – after pledges to improve access to grassroots sport were made following the country's record medal haul last summer. French athletes won 16 golds in a tally of 64 medals during the 2024 Olympics, while at the Paralympics they took 85 – their best showing at the event since 1984. Politicians from across the spectrum lined up to salute the achievements of the French stars of the Games, including cyclist Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, swimmer Léon Marchand, judoka Teddy Riner and table tennis players Alexis and Félix Lebrun at the Olympics and Paralympic swimmers Ugo Didier and Alex Portal. Local sports clubs braced themselves for a flurry of applications, inspired by French success. Philippe Bana, president of the French Handball Federation, told RFI: "The Olympic effect was spectacular. It wasn't a boom, it was an explosion. All our clubs were full. We were unable to take on any more members. We had to divide the pitches in half to accommodate more teams." How the Paris Olympic Games transformed the Porte de la Chapelle The French Olympic and Paralympic committees – the CNOSF and CPSF – vowed to work towards even greater sporting glory. "The Games have created a strong momentum that the CNOSF will continue to build on with the aim of changing mindsets and behaviours for a long-term impact." said Gilles Erb, head of the legacy commission at France's National Sports Agency, who is high in the ranks of the CNOSF. "Having worked to lay the foundations for the legacy of the Games, it is now up to the CNOSF, alongside other French sports institutions, to strengthen this legacy and make it a success that benefits everyone," said Erb. "The Games have enabled the creation of programmes that bring people together, have an impact and encourage commitment and which have mobilised a large part of the French population – particularly the youngest audiences." Cutbacks in public spending However, in January 2025, François Bayrou's administration announced that the sport budget would be slashed from €1.7 billion to €1.4bn, as part of general cutbacks in public spending. A petition signed by 400 leading athletes, including Riner, hit out at the plans. "This is not just a matter of economics, it is sabotaging our ability to live together," the signatories wrote. "With the [Olympic and Paralympic] Games, we have proven that sport is a powerful lever for education, health, social cohesion and physical and mental wellbeing. "There is a desire to betray the ambition and vision of the Paris 2024 Games, which have succeeded in uniting and bringing together all French people, across all regions of the Republic." In a statement to sports newspaper L'Equipe Macron said that he agreed with the athletes, adding: "Since 2017, I have ensured that the sports budget has increased every year. We must keep our commitments and provide the necessary resources for our athletes so that the legacy of the Games benefits everyone." Trump to lead LA Olympics task force overseeing security and visas In June, the government came under further attack when it announced changes to the Pass Sport scheme, established in 2021 to help children from low-income families join sports clubs. Nearly 1.7 million youngsters between six and 17 were benefitting from the €50 payment when Sports Minister Marie Barsacq outlined the amendments. But many will now find themselves ineligible. Under the new system, which is set to start in September, the scheme will offer €70 to young people aged 14 to 17 whose families already receive the means tested ARS back-to-school allowance. Children and teenagers between six and 19 with disabilities, whose guardians get the AEEH disabled child education allowance will also be able eligible for the €70, as will young people aged 16 to 30 who receive the AAH disabled adult allowance. Students under the age of 28 who receive CROUS scholarships and bursaries will also be allowed to claim the cash. "At the age of 14, nearly one in five secondary school students does not participate in regular sports activities, mainly due to cost constraints," said Barsacq. "Pass Sport is an essential tool for overcoming this obstacle. I encourage young people and parents to take advantage of it to discover or rediscover a sport of their choice." Backlash However, bosses at the French Football Federation have questioned the move, intended to save around €40 million. Last year, 375,000 of its nearly 1 million members under the age of 14 joined clubs with the help of the money from the Pass Sport. "We hope that solutions can be found to maintain this valuable aid for many families," said the FFF. "There is an educational and social function to sport, which must be able to welcome as many children as possible, without discrimination, particularly financial discrimination." In an open letter to Macron and Bayrou, the 73 members of the Association of Mayors of Towns and Suburbs of France said: "The Pass Sport has put an end to financial discrimination in access to sport. It has led to a boom in sports enrolments among young girls. In large families, it has meant that we no longer have to prioritise sport for one child over another. "By abolishing it for 6-13 year-olds, we are creating a sporting divide." Amélie Oudéa-Castéra and Marie-Amélie Le Fur, who respectively head the CNOSF and the CPSF, have also hit out at the changes to the scheme. "It is a harmful decision that will deprive thousands of children of access to sports, which are known to improve physical and mental wellbeing, as well as cognitive and academic performance," Oudéa-Castéra, who was Sports Minister during the Olympics before taking over at the CNOSF from David Lappartient in June, wrote in a message on LinkedIn. She added that sport had already made too many sacrifices. Paris Olympics and Paralympics cost taxpayer nearly €6bn "We must reverse this decision, which will deprive many children of access to sport and put many sports clubs in difficulty," said François Piquemal, MP for Toulouse from the far-left France Unbowed party. 'It's an incomprehensible move," he added, "but one that's common in the world in which the president lives. As soon as there is a rare good idea that starts to get traction, back-pedalling is the order of the day when commitments cannot be honoured. However, these decisions have major consequences." Ronald Duart, president of a BMX club in Yvelines, west of Paris, said: "Before, three-quarters of our members in that age group of six to 13 used the Pass Sport. "This is the first year that people have started asking us if they can pay in three or four instalments," Duart added. "It feels that something like this is really going in the opposite direction of supporting sports participation."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
France's Ferrand-Prévot wins 2025 women's Tour de France
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot from France was crowned champion of the 2025 women's Tour de France on Sunday after her second consecutive stage win propelled her to one of the most prestigious titles on the circuit. Just over a year after she won gold for her country at the Paris Olympics in the mountain biking, the 33-year-old, who was competing in the race for the first time, became the first Frenchwoman to win the Tour de France since its inception in 2022. After blitzing the field to take the penultimate stage and the yellow jersey of the overall race leader on Saturday, the Team Visma-Lease A Bike cyclist dazzled anew over the 124.1km of Sunday's final stage between Praz-sur-Arly and Châtel in south-eastern France. She finished the course in three hours, 38 minutes and 23 seconds. The 2023 race winner Demi Vollering was 20 seconds behind. The defending champion Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney was third. It was the same order after nine days of racing. Ferrand-Prévot completed the 1168.6km in 29 hours, 54 minutes and 24 seconds. Vollering, from the FDJ-Suez team was three minutes and 42 seconds behind. Niewiadoma-Phinney, who pipped Vollering to the title by four seconds last year, was four minutes and nine seconds off the pacesetter. 'So happy' "I was a bit scared of having the pressure of wearing the yellow jersey," Ferrand-Prévot told reporters. "I had to stick to the front and just stay there. "I said to the team's sporting director this morning, I would like to win in yellow, so I'm so, so happy." Ferrand-Prévot seized control of the race on Saturday after a sensational scorch through the mountains between Chambéry Saint-François Longchamp and Col de Madeleine in south-eastern France. And on Sunday, Ferrand-Prévot negotiated the array of pitfalls before making her move in the last seven kilometres. She responded to Vollering's attack and, to the delight of the partisans, surged away. She crossed the finishing line unchallenged. Among the other race honours, Lorena Wiebes, of SD Worx-Protime, ended as the cyclist with the most points and Elise Chabbey, who rides for the FDJ-Suez team, claimed the polka dot jersey of the "queen of the mountains". Nienke Vinke, of the Picnic-Post NL team, won the white jersey as best young rider in the 2025 race.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
As France's sports budget faces cuts, are Olympic promises being broken?
One year on from the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, French politicians and sports organisations are hitting out at the government's proposed cuts to the budget for sport – after pledges to improve access to grassroots sport were made following the country's record medal haul last summer. French athletes won 16 golds in a tally of 64 medals during the 2024 Olympics, while at the Paralympics they took 85 – their best showing at the event since 1984. Politicians from across the spectrum lined up to salute the achievements of the French stars of the Games, including cyclist Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, swimmer Léon Marchand, judoka Teddy Riner and table tennis players Alexis and Félix Lebrun at the Olympics and Paralympic swimmers Ugo Didier and Alex Portal. Local sports clubs braced themselves for a flurry of applications, inspired by French success. Philippe Bana, president of the French Handball Federation, told RFI: "The Olympic effect was spectacular. It wasn't a boom, it was an explosion. All our clubs were full. We were unable to take on any more members. We had to divide the pitches in half to accommodate more teams." How the Paris Olympic Games transformed the Porte de la Chapelle The French Olympic and Paralympic committees – the CNOSF and CPSF – vowed to work towards even greater sporting glory. "The Games have created a strong momentum that the CNOSF will continue to build on with the aim of changing mindsets and behaviours for a long-term impact." said Gilles Erb, head of the legacy commission at France's National Sports Agency, who is high in the ranks of the CNOSF. "Having worked to lay the foundations for the legacy of the Games, it is now up to the CNOSF, alongside other French sports institutions, to strengthen this legacy and make it a success that benefits everyone," said Erb. "The Games have enabled the creation of programmes that bring people together, have an impact and encourage commitment and which have mobilised a large part of the French population – particularly the youngest audiences." Cutbacks in public spending However, in January 2025, François Bayrou's administration announced that the sport budget would be slashed from €1.7 billion to €1.4bn, as part of general cutbacks in public spending. A petition signed by 400 leading athletes, including Riner, hit out at the plans. "This is not just a matter of economics, it is sabotaging our ability to live together," the signatories wrote. "With the [Olympic and Paralympic] Games, we have proven that sport is a powerful lever for education, health, social cohesion and physical and mental wellbeing. "There is a desire to betray the ambition and vision of the Paris 2024 Games, which have succeeded in uniting and bringing together all French people, across all regions of the Republic." In a statement to sports newspaper L'Equipe Macron said that he agreed with the athletes, adding: "Since 2017, I have ensured that the sports budget has increased every year. We must keep our commitments and provide the necessary resources for our athletes so that the legacy of the Games benefits everyone." Trump to lead LA Olympics task force overseeing security and visas In June, the government came under further attack when it announced changes to the Pass Sport scheme, established in 2021 to help children from low-income families join sports clubs. Nearly 1.7 million youngsters between six and 17 were benefitting from the €50 payment when Sports Minister Marie Barsacq outlined the amendments. But many will now find themselves ineligible. Under the new system, which is set to start in September, the scheme will offer €70 to young people aged 14 to 17 whose families already receive the means tested ARS back-to-school allowance. Children and teenagers between six and 19 with disabilities, whose guardians get the AEEH disabled child education allowance will also be able eligible for the €70, as will young people aged 16 to 30 who receive the AAH disabled adult allowance. Students under the age of 28 who receive CROUS scholarships and bursaries will also be allowed to claim the cash. "At the age of 14, nearly one in five secondary school students does not participate in regular sports activities, mainly due to cost constraints," said Barsacq. "Pass Sport is an essential tool for overcoming this obstacle. I encourage young people and parents to take advantage of it to discover or rediscover a sport of their choice." Backlash However, bosses at the French Football Federation have questioned the move, intended to save around €40 million. Last year, 375,000 of its nearly 1 million members under the age of 14 joined clubs with the help of the money from the Pass Sport. "We hope that solutions can be found to maintain this valuable aid for many families," said the FFF. "There is an educational and social function to sport, which must be able to welcome as many children as possible, without discrimination, particularly financial discrimination." In an open letter to Macron and Bayrou, the 73 members of the Association of Mayors of Towns and Suburbs of France said: "The Pass Sport has put an end to financial discrimination in access to sport. It has led to a boom in sports enrolments among young girls. In large families, it has meant that we no longer have to prioritise sport for one child over another. "By abolishing it for 6-13 year-olds, we are creating a sporting divide." Amélie Oudéa-Castéra and Marie-Amélie Le Fur, who respectively head the CNOSF and the CPSF, have also hit out at the changes to the scheme. "It is a harmful decision that will deprive thousands of children of access to sports, which are known to improve physical and mental wellbeing, as well as cognitive and academic performance," Oudéa-Castéra, who was Sports Minister during the Olympics before taking over at the CNOSF from David Lappartient in June, wrote in a message on LinkedIn. She added that sport had already made too many sacrifices. Paris Olympics and Paralympics cost taxpayer nearly €6bn "We must reverse this decision, which will deprive many children of access to sport and put many sports clubs in difficulty," said François Piquemal, MP for Toulouse from the far-left France Unbowed party. 'It's an incomprehensible move," he added, "but one that's common in the world in which the president lives. As soon as there is a rare good idea that starts to get traction, back-pedalling is the order of the day when commitments cannot be honoured. However, these decisions have major consequences." Ronald Duart, president of a BMX club in Yvelines, west of Paris, said: "Before, three-quarters of our members in that age group of six to 13 used the Pass Sport. "This is the first year that people have started asking us if they can pay in three or four instalments," Duart added. "It feels that something like this is really going in the opposite direction of supporting sports participation."
Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Times
Tour de France Femmes 2025: Pauline Ferrand-Prevot seals home glory
In April, having just won Paris-Roubaix Femmes, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot made her next goal clear: 'The Tour de France is the No1 objective of the season,' she told L'Équipe. 'I want to win it over the next three years.' On Sunday she took that victory at her first attempt and the final stage along with it, against an all-star field, becoming the first French winner for 36 years. 'This morning I told my directeur sportif, 'I want to try to win in yellow,' ' Ferrand-Prévot said. 'It wasn't easy, quite a tactical race, and at the end I told myself, 'Let's see how I feel on the last climb.' I attacked and I didn't think that I could win that way. I really gave it my all until the last metres, so I didn't have time to savour it all, but I'm so happy to be able to win this stage and the general classification.'
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Ferrand-Prévot's Tour win ignites all of France in a joy missing from the men's race
It took a long time to find a copy of L'Equipe on Monday morning. France's flagship daily sports newspaper, emblazoned with an image of a yellow-clad Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, arms outstretched and triumphant, with the banner headline Geante, had almost sold out. Ferrand-Prévot, the first French rider to win the Tour de France Femmes, has become a national icon almost overnight. After her Paris 2024 gold-medal performance in mountain biking and this spring's win in Paris-Roubaix, Ferrand-Prévot fever has taken over. Cycling's slumbering giant has finally awoken. As a little girl, Ferrand-Prévot asked her mother why it was that she couldn't race in the Tour de France. 'But it's a men's race,' came the response. 'I wish I was a boy,' the nine-year-old Pauline said. The French have waited a long time to see one of their own in the yellow jersey – 36 years in women's racing and 40 in men's – and endured decades of humiliation plus an ingrained sense of inferiority, usually to multiple foreign champions, some of them doped. During that time, there have been other misfiring women's tours of France, but none of them compare with the significance and scale of the modern Tour de France Femmes, which Christian Prudhomme, race director of the men's Tour and initially sceptical of the women's race, now sees as equal in stature. For archivists, the last French rider in yellow was Jeannie Longo, who won the Tour de France Féminin in 1989, although that race did not compare with the investment, difficulty and global importance of the modern Tour Femmes. Justifiably, Ferrand-Prévot has been depicted as the successor to Bernard Hinault, the last French winner of the men's Tour. The celebratory televised phone call from President Macron, within minutes of her victory in Chatel, is evidence of that. Ferrand-Prévot's Olympic gold came while she was sponsored by Ineos Grenadiers, but their reluctance to invest further in women's racing led to her off-season move to the Visma Lease-a-bike team, and a vow to win the Tour within three years. Jim Ratcliffe's loss has become the Dutch sponsor's gain. For the French, this was equivalent to England men's long-awaited home Ashes win in 2005, or Andy Murray's breakthrough British Wimbledon victory in 2013. The 33-year-old may well have uncorked fresh ambition within the host nation, and not just in women's racing. Compare Tadej Pogacar's muted celebrations after winning his fourth Tour de France a week ago in Paris with the party vibe in Chatel late on Sunday evening and the differences between the men's and women's Tour are far greater than just of gender. In stark contrast, there is an openness, joy and freedom of expression to the Tour de France Femmes that puts the monastic and secretive world of its occasionally lumbering male counterpart to shame. Ferrand-Prévot came to the Tour Femmes parchment thin, compared to the rider who powered to victory over the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix in April. The dramatic weight loss enhanced her power to weight ratio, but it doesn't look good and she has readily acknowledged it. 'I don't want to stay like this, because I know it's not 100% healthy,' she said on Sunday evening, 'but we also had a good plan with the nutritionist in the team and everything is in control. 'I didn't do anything extreme, and I still had power left after nine days of racing. It's a tricky subject, because you have to find the limit. I also know that I can't stay like this forever. It's the choice I made.' The already lean Demi Vollering, second overall in Chatel, an athlete who has openly talked about teenage mental health and menstrual cycles, also faced questions on whether she would now seek to lose weight to become more competitive. 'I could lose weight too, but I don't want to be extremely thin,' she said. 'I'm proud of my weight and want to set a good example. I hope that in the future I can win again and show girls that you don't have to be super skinny, but that you can also win with hard work and power. 'I know that many others struggle with this, so I hope that young girls don't think they have to be super skinny to ride in the mountains.' Kasia Niewiadoma, the outgoing champion, highlighted the fast-track development in ability within the women's peloton and said that her own level was 'definitely higher' than that of a year ago. 'This is the growth of women's cycling,' Niewiadoma said after finishing third. 'I think that the teams are stronger. You can see that a lot of teams have grown in depth – they have really strong riders who can help their leaders.' Of course, the Tour Femmes is not perfect. As the pressure to perform grows along with the rewards, it will inevitably develop some of the same ethical issues that confront men's racing. But, right now, it is refreshing, joyous, dramatic and exciting, with a growing roster of accomplished athletes. 'Watch The Femmes' say the caps tossed to the crowds from the publicity caravan. 'We don't need the men any more to exist,' said the race director Marion Rousse earlier this summer after announcing the move to stand-alone dates for the Femmes in 2026. Rousse is right. Maybe we have been watching the wrong race all along.
