Paris (France) (AFP) - France’s five-time Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner announced on Monday that he would run in next year’s presidential election, after expressing concern about the “rise of the far right”.

“My name is Teddy Riner and today, I am telling you face to face: I am a candidate in the 2027 presidential election,” the 37-year-old said in a surprise announcement on social media.

Riner, among France’s best-known sports figures, enters the race with far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen leading in the polls to replace centrist President Emmanuel Macron next year.

The judo star has publicly said he was very worried about the “rise of the far right” in France.

Le Pen’s anti-immigration party emerged as the single largest party in the National Assembly after Macron called snap polls in 2024, though it fell well short of a majority.

It increased its seats from three to at least 15 in the 348-seat Senate in elections in September.

“Fighting has always been part of me,” said Riner, who hails from the overseas French territory of Guadeloupe.

“I know what it means to fight, to fall, to always get back up,” the judoka said, sitting in front of a bookcase and wearing a white shirt and dark jacket.

“I know what people are going to say about me: ‘He’s crazy. He’s not from the establishment. He doesn’t have the codes. He’s never done politics,’” he added.

“If refusing to bow my head and refusing chaos makes me crazy, then yes, I’m completely crazy.”

- Olympian and president? -

In an interview with Le Parisien newspaper, Riner said he intended to continue his sports career alongside his presidential bid.

If elected president, he said he planned to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, “if the position allows me to, and if the French people allow me to”.

Riner won the heavyweight division at the 2012, 2016 and 2024 Olympics and mixed team gold at the 2020 and 2024 Games.

He has also won 11 world titles.

Another French star judoka, David Douillet, was elected to the French parliament in 2009 and served as sports minister from September 2011 to May 2012.

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