Jöel Bouzou

Joël Bouzou will carry the Olympic torch. This is his story:

Joël was raised in a family whose lifeblood was sport. His father, a PE teacher, founded the Cercle d'Escrime et de Pentathlon moderne Gascon in 1961. Joël took his first athletic strides in this club, facing challenges head-on, including the lack of a winter swimming pool in Auch. Yet his unwavering perseverance led him to the French national team, in which he represented his country in four Olympic Games: Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992.

He took bronze in the Team competition in 1984. In 1987, he made history as the first French world champion in the sport. Beyond his athletic achievements, Joël has been a stalwart advocate for pentathlon. Since 2012, he has served as the vice-president of the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne, and in 2014, he took on the role of president of the French Modern Pentathlon Federation. In 2006, he was appointed as an advisor to His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco. The following year, Joël established the international organisation Peace and Sport.

He sees sport as a vehicle for tolerance, respect, sharing and citizenship, all in pursuit of enduring peace worldwide. He has been the president of the World Olympians Association (WOA) since 2011. His track record and dedication have made him a key figure on both the national and international Olympic scenes, contributing to the splendour of the Paris 2024 Games.