Beaten in the small final of the sword, Lauren Pradip, very disappointed, was struggling to speak. Yet, France TV reporter did not hesitate to hold in a zone press, while it has no obligation to respond to him.
There are sporting disappointment, then television discomfort. Saturday night, Lauren Pradip lost not only to the sword, she has also had to face a camera at the time where she was devastated.
For her first Olympic Games, French fencer had bronze in scope of sword but it failed for two small keys, facing the Chinese Sun Yiwen (15-13) Saturday night. At the end of the duel for third place, the Swordsman of 24 years collapsed, shattered by the defeat.
KB on the ground, French requires some time to recover. When she finally left the air combat, André Garcia, France Television journalist, the requests to conduct an interview. She politely declines but is literally restrained by the journalist, insistent.
The French cannot hold back his tears, the discomfort is palpable. Journalist multiplies the questions to which the woman cannot meet, overwhelmed by emotion. Once the sport moves away, André Garcia insisted the micro "it is when athletes smile, this is also when they cry".
An athlete has obligation to respond to questions from the media? One journalist in particular, no. The guide that is provided by the French delegation to the sportsmen recalls that "each athlete is free to communicate with third parties and representatives of the press".
But that it "cannot be accepted that an athlete contractually limited statement of his impressions to the benefit of an exclusive media". Lauren Pradip was therefore quite entitled not to stop with France 3.
André Garcia, used slips this is not the first time that public service journalist is particularly insistent with an athlete to get a reaction. During the Sochi OJ, it was a little brutal with Coline Mattel, Medal of bronze of ski jumping, which was discussing with a member of the organization.
To recall, in 2012 when the rite of handball Experts, André Garcia had spoken of "the late Soviet Union" and the only nation having already achieved the feat of making an Olympic double.
French fencers come into contention this Sunday night to try to curb the dearth of French fencing in the Olympics since 2008. Not sure in the case of medal Erwann Le Pechoux, any recent vice-champion of Europe of the discipline, stops to meet André Garcia.