Judo Star Teddy Riner Withdraws from Marrakech Grand Prix, Focuses on Tokyo Olympics

In an interview with the Tout le sport program on the France 3 channel, Teddy Riner stated that he is not ready and prefers to aim for the next events in the discipline, that is to say the 2020 Olympic Games scheduled in Japan.

"Marrakech, we really have to forget about it. It’s too early. I don’t want to get into competition too early, to do crap. Not having my sensations, not having my abilities... That’s not how I conceive my comeback. We’ll take the time. If I have to be Olympic champion, I have to do it in style," he explained.

Teddy Riner has nevertheless campaigned for the organization of judo competitions in Marrakech. According to the confidences reported last year by Jeune Afrique, the multiple Olympic champion has "worked" so that the kingdom obtains the organization of six major world competitions in the coming years". A few months later, that is to say in October 2018, Teddy was sitting on the terrace of a cafe with King Mohammed VI and Prince Moulay Ismail.