The French Paris prosecutor's office has officially opened an investigation into racist abuse and systematic cyberbullying directed at the legendary judoka Teddy Riner. A wave of aggression on social media hit the athlete after his public statement about the threat posed by far-right political forces, made on the sports show Stade 2. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing an official statement from the Paris prosecutor's office published on Instagram. The case has been referred to the Central Office for Combating Crimes Against Humanity and Hate Crimes — a division specializing in the most high-profile cases of discrimination.
The statement that triggered a wave of hatred
The starting point was an episode of the Stade 2 program, in which Riner — an eleven-time world judo champion — answered a question about the rise of extremism in France against the backdrop of the upcoming presidential elections. The athlete frankly admitted that what worries him most is precisely the far-right movement, and uttered the phrase that later went viral: “This scares me even more than my own shoulder injury.” It was this admission, made by a person of enormous public resonance, that triggered an avalanche of racist abuse and threats against the judoka on social media. Reacting to the mass nature of the attacks, the Paris prosecutor's office assigned the case to a specialized division, which signals the seriousness of the authorities' intentions to prosecute the organizers and active participants of the harassment.
Support from “PSG” and the sports context
In support of its athlete, Parisian “PSG” officially spoke out, with which Riner recently extended his contract until 2028. The club issued a statement condemning any form of discrimination and expressing solidarity with the judoka. The political controversy surrounding Riner's statement arose against the backdrop of a difficult period in his sports career: the shoulder injury he mentioned on air has limited his performance on the tatami for several seasons. Nevertheless, Riner's status as one of the most decorated judokas in history and his public stance made him a target for those unwilling to accept open criticism of far-right forces in the country.
Contradictory data
When comparing materials from various publications, a discrepancy is noted in the characterization of Riner's sporting achievements. The primary source (Sport RBC.UA) calls him an “eleven-time world champion,” while the headline of the sports.ru publication contains a reference to the title of a “five-time” champion, which, judging by the context, refers to Olympic medals. These figures do not contradict each other, as they concern different competitions — World Championships and the Olympic Games — however, in a number of secondary retellings they are mixed up, which may mislead the reader. In addition, the provided materials do not specify the exact date of the Stade 2 episode in which the controversial statement was made, nor the specific list of incriminated actions (racial epithets, threats of physical harm, calls for violence), which limits the completeness of the factual picture.
Political background and prospects for the case
The resonance around Riner's statement fits into the broader context of growing political polarization in France ahead of the presidential elections. Far-right forces traditionally enjoy the support of a significant part of the electorate, and public criticism of their activities by media personalities is increasingly becoming a reason for organized pressure campaigns online. The opening of an official investigation by the Paris prosecutor's office, with the case referred to the Central Office for Combating Hate Crimes, is a precedent-setting step that may set the tone for future proceedings of a similar nature. The results of the investigation, including the identification of specific individuals responsible for organizing the harassment and possible sanctions, will become known over the coming months.
