FDJ, a long-standing partner of French sport, today launched FDJ Sport Factory, a group of 27 athletes who all aspire to take home medals at the 2020, 2022 and 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The group – whose team leaders are decathlete Kevin Mayer and skier Marie Bochet – is comprised of 12 female and 15 male top athletes competing in a range of Olympic and Paralympic individual sports.
FDJ has been backing young champions for nearly 30 years, and FDJ Sport Factory will continue this tradition by offering support to athletes for a three- or five-year period starting in 2020. In addition to financial support, the programme offers truly personalized guidance ranging from preparing for major sporting events to post-competition career development.
Around 30 high-potential young French athletes will also receive backing during this period and join the FDJ Sport Factory “incubator”.
Comprehensive support
Each athlete will receive comprehensive support. In addition to financial support of €30,000 per year for five years (or three years for athletes preparing for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games), FDJ Sport Factory athletes will also receive personal guidance in career development, academic development through partnerships with France’s top schools and preparing for their post-athletic careers.
In addition, six promising athletes will be selected every year until 2024 to join the group’s incubator. FDJ Sport Factory builds on FDJ’s previous “Challenge” programme, and will offer youth athletes a €15,000 grant over two years. Through Challenge, which was launched in 1991, FDJ supported more than 400 top athletes, who went on to win 162 Olympic and Paralympic medals.
Sarah Ourahmoune and Michaël Jérémiasz[1], who participated in the Challenge programme, are ambassadors of FDJ Sport Factory. Together with Stéphane Diagana, Claude Onesta or Florence Masnada, they made up the jury that selected the members of FDJ Sport Factory from among the more than one thousand top athletes who applied. They will help build team spirit and offer their guidance, especially to the young talent in the incubator.
FDJ Sport Factory team members
Summer Olympics and Paralympics:
Kevin Mayer (Athletics – Decathlon), 1st place in the 2017 World Championship, 2016 Olympic silver medallist; Alexandra Tavernier (Athletics – Hammer Throw), 2nd place in the 2018 European Championship, 3rd place in the 2015 World Championship; Caroline Cruveillier (Boxing -54 kg), 2nd place in the 2019 World Championship, 3rd place in the 2019 European Championship; Cédric Joly (Canoe Slalom – C1), 1st place in the 2019 World Championship, 2nd place in the 2019 European Championship (team); Mathilde Gros (Cycling – Track), 1st place in the 2018 and 2019 European Championships, 3rd place in the 2019 World Championship for individual speed; Victor Levecque (Equestrian), 2nd place in the 2019 European Championship for Young Riders, 1st place in the 2018 European Championship for Young Riders; Mickaël Mawem (Climbing – Bouldering and Combined), 1st place in the 2019 European Championship (bouldering), 4th place in the 2017 World Championship; Enzo Lefort (Fencing – Foil), 1st place in the 2019 World Championship (individual), 2016 Olympic silver medallist (team); Ysaora Thibus (Fencing – Foil), 1st place in the 2018 World Championship, 3rd place in the 2017 World Championship; Samir Ait Said (Gymnastics – Rings), 3rd place in the 2019 World Championship, 1st place in the 2013 European Championship; Romane Dicko (Judo +78kg), 1st place in the 2018 European Championship, double gold medallist in the 2017 European Junior Championship (individual and team); Nicolas Parlier (Kiteboarding), 2nd place in the 2019 World Beach Games (kitefoil), 1st place in the 2018 World Championship (Formula Kite); David Aubry (Swimming – Race and Open Water), 3rd place in the 2019 World Championship (800m freestyle), 3rd place in the 2018 European Championship (medley relay in open water); Laurent Chardard (Para Swimming), 2nd place in the 2019 World Championship (50m butterfly), 1st place in the 2018 and 2019 French Championships (50m butterfly); Nathan Petit (Para Judo -81kg), 3rd place in the 2019 World Championship, 3rd place in the 2018 World Championship; Valentin Prades (Modern Pentathlon), 2nd place in the 2019 European Championship, 2nd place in the 2018 World Championship; Johanne Defay (Surfing), 5th place worldwide for the 2018/2019 season, 2nd place in the 2017 ISA World Championship; Magda Wiet-Hénin (Taekwondo -62kg), 3rd place in the 2019 World Championship, 2nd place in the 2016 European Championship; Jean Quiquampoix (Shooting – Rapid-Fire Pistol), 3rd place in the 2018 World Championship, 2016 Olympic silver medallist; Cassandre Beaugrand (Triathlon), 3rd place in the 2019 World Championship, 3rd place in the 2018 World Championship.
Winter Olympics and Paralympics:
Romane Miradoli (Alpine Skiing), 1st place in the 2019 French Championship (Super G and downhill), 12th place in the 2018-2019 global ranking (Super G); Marie Bochet (Para Alpine Skiing), quadruple gold medallist at the 2018 Paralympics, quadruple gold medallist in the 2019 World Championship; Arthur Bauchet (Para Alpine Skiing), triple gold medallist in the 2019 World Championship, quadruple silver medallist at the 2018 Paralympic Games; Richard Jouve (Cross-Country Skiing), 3rd place in the 2019 World Championship, 3rd place at the 2018 Olympic Games; Benjamin Cavet (Freestyle Skiing – Moguls), 2nd place in the 2017 World Championship, six World Cup podiums in 2018/2019; Tess Ledeux (Freestyle Skiing – Slopestyle and Big Air), 1st place in the 2019 World Championship (Big Air), 1st place in the 2017 World Championship (Slopestyle); Chloé Trespeuch (Snowboard – Cross), 2nd place in the 2017 World Championship, 3rd place at the 2014 Olympic Games.
FDJ Sport Factory 2019-2020 incubator members
Eugénie Dorange (Canoeing – Sprint), 3rd place in the 2018 European Championship for under-23s (C1), 2nd place in the 2017 World Championship for under-23s (C2 500m); Poema Newland (Kiteboarding), 2nd place at the 2019 Youth Olympic Games, 1st place in the 2018 French Championship; Lucie Hautière (Para Table Tennis), 3rd place in the 2019 European Para Youth Games, 3rd place in the 2017 French Championship; Isaure Medde (Mountain Bike – Cross-Country), 1st place in the 2019 French Championship, 2nd place in the 2018 World Championship; Sidoine Dantès and Hippolyte Machetti (Sailing – 470), two-time youth gold medallists in the 2017 and 2018 World Championships, youth silver medallists in the 2017 European Championship.
About FDJ’s support for sport
FDJ has supported French sport for more than 30 years. FDJ contributes to the budget of France’s National Sport Agency (ANS) and was a partner of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) from 2000 to 2018. From 2015 to 2018, FDJ was a partner of the French Paralympic and Sports Committee (CPSF).
Through its “Challenge” programme, launched in 1991, FDJ supported more than 400 top athletes, who won a total of 162 Olympic and Paralympic medals.
Today, FDJ’s men’s and women’s cycling teams are considered among the best in the world. The Group has sponsored the FDJ cycling team since 1997 (renamed Groupama-FDJ in 2018), as well as the FDJ-Nouvelle-Aquitaine-Futuroscope women’s cycling team since 2016.
FDJ is also a partner of several federations for team sports (such as basketball and handball). A leading sports betting operator since 1985, FDJ has also partnered with four Ligue 1 football clubs (Olympique de Marseille, Olympique Lyonnais, FC Nantes and AS Monaco) and the NBA through its ParionsSport brand.
FDJ has also backed major sporting events held in France, such as the UEFA Euro 2016, and helps promote women’s sport through its “Sport pour Elles” programme, launched in 2016.
[1] Sarah Ourahmoune (boxing silver medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, 1st place in the 2008 World Championship) was backed by FDJ’s “Challenge” programme in 2010. Since 2017 she has been an ambassador of FDJ’s “Sport pour Elles” programme, and is now an ambassador of FDJ Sport Factory. Michaël Jérémiasz (wheelchair tennis gold medalist at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics) won seven Grand Slam tennis tournaments. His “Commes les Autres” non-profit organisation was backed by the FDJ Corporate Foundation.
