Judo champion Teddy Riner enters French presidential race

Five-time Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner has launched a surprise bid for the French presidency, drawing millions of online views and early poll interest despite having no political experience.

French judo star Teddy Riner has entered next April’s presidential race, a surprise move that could reshape the contest, the BBC reports.

The 37-year-old, a five-time Olympic and 11-time world champion, has no political experience, no party and no manifesto yet, but 22% of respondents told an Ifop poll they “could” vote for him.

His campaign video, shot against a backdrop of books, has drawn more than 28 million views on Instagram and X.

“People say I am a fool for wanting to run for the presidency,” he said in the broadcast.

Riner, who calls himself “neither left, nor right,” is pitching himself in the crowded centre ground, against both extremes. Hard-right leader Marine Le Pen currently leads the polls.

Hard-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon welcomed the move. “We know how it goes: neither right nor left means not left,” he told reporters.

President Emmanuel Macron called Riner a “great champion,” but Riner described the praise as a “poisoned chalice,” saying he was “not the president’s envoy, I’m not a Macronist.”