The French Equestrian Federation (FFE) announced this afternoon its sports project aimed at achieving its medal targets at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. "Consultation, performance indicators, transparency, etc. Strong resources for a well-functioning French team," summarizes the federal press release, which also mentions the new organizational chart of the national technical directorate.
Under the responsibility of Sophie Dubourg, who has been in charge for the past nine years, Henk Nooren is once again the national coach for jumping and Jean Morel is in charge of French dressage. Minor adjustments have been made in the eventing leadership, notably with the integration of Patrice Delaveau and Philippe Limousin, and in para-dressage.
After the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games (JOP), where France won only one bronze medal, in the eventing team, "maintaining the cohesion of the federal team and athletes, structuring and proposing a sports project in line with the medal ambitions in Paris 2024 is the absolute priority of the French Equestrian Federation (FFE)," the federal press release begins. "The Paris 2024 Olympic Games must give French equestrian sport the opportunity to make its mark. With this goal in mind, the FFE is strengthening the preparation of the athletes and the horses and wants to maintain the trust they have built with their owners. These Games in France will be a unique opportunity for the whole sector to increase the popularity of the horse and equestrian sports. They are not only the biggest sporting event in the world, they should also allow us to highlight and promote the virtues of the horse and equestrian sports to win over all French people. I expect our athletes to convey the Olympic values, but also those of our equestrian activities, led by the national technical directorate (DTN, editor's note) and its teams, to whom I renew all my confidence in the implementation of this sports project 2022-2024," announced Serge Lecomte, who was re-elected last year as president of the FFE.
As the host country of the 2024 Olympics, France will present a team in each discipline: dressage, eventing, jumping and para-dressage. "If the French are already spared the pressure of qualification, they are nevertheless very much expected at the 2022 World Championships, in Herning and Pratoni del Vivaro for eventing, but also in the final stretch, at the 2023 European Championships," scheduled for Milan, Le Pin-au-Haras and Riesenbeck.
"After the experience of Tokyo 2020, the federation is more than ever motivated by the obligation to achieve results on its own territory in 2024. With a 2022-2024 sports project rethought and refined down to the smallest detail, the FFE is strengthening its support in preparing the French team for the next three years," the press release continues.
"The Paris 2024 Olympic Games must give French equestrian sport the opportunity to make its mark. With this goal in mind, the FFE is strengthening the preparation of the athletes and the horses and wants to maintain the trust that they have built with their owners. These Olympics in France will be a unique opportunity for the whole sector to increase the popularity of the horse and equestrian sports. They are not only the biggest sporting event in the world, they should also allow us to highlight and promote the virtues of the horse and equestrian sports to win over all French people. I expect our athletes to propagate the Olympic values, but also those of our equestrian activities, led by the technical leadership.
Source: Grand Prix Info
