Will the captain of the XV of France Antoine Dupont compete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games? “The decision is up to him,” replied Wednesday the president of Toulouse Didier Lacroix, who also mentioned the expansion of the Ernest-Wallon stadium and the case of George Tilsley, undesirable after his conviction for domestic violence.
“Antoine Dupont has a gigantic appetite. It’s been months since he mentioned the desire to play the Olympics (…) We defined very clearly the contours of what his presence could be, “explained Lacroix during his back-to-school press conference. . “The main actor is Antoine Dupont. The trigger is Antoine Dupont. And he does not want to reveal himself before the World Cup (September 8-October 28), ”continued the Toulouse leader. “We have prepared everything, at all levels. But the decision is up to him.”
A participation of the scrum half in Paris 2024 could in particular imply a stalemate on the next Six Nations Tournament so that he prepares for the specificities of rugby sevens, the discipline represented at the Games.
After having “blown” last week on the Landes coast following the announcement of his withdrawal from the World Cup due to a knee injury, Romain Ntamack returned to Toulouse, where he must quickly decide on a date for an operation.
“We trace the route he will use behind (…) I cannot believe for a moment that he is absent from this World Cup”, estimated Lacroix while underlining the “risks” of potential displacements with of the Blues and “the need to rest”.
Did Stade Toulousain look for a medical joker to make up for his long absence? “Our primary intention is to take the time to do things right,” replied its president. “Romain Ntamack’s replacement does not exist”.
Recruited as a World Cup joker, New Zealand winger George Tilsley, recently sentenced to a six-month suspended prison sentence for violence against his partner, will not play with the Rouge et Noir. “You will not see him in the Stade Toulouse jersey,” assured Lacroix. “For us, the situation is very clear: there will be no possibility of evolving with someone who behaved like that”.
“All individuals who will be found guilty of violence or other incivility of this type will not be welcome in the environment of the Toulouse stadium”, he supported. No legal action can be taken before the work stoppage of the player, currently injured in a knee, expires at the end of the month.
The reigning French champion wants to increase the current capacity of his Ernest-Wallon stadium (19,000 seats), sold out for all matches last season. “I am firmly convinced that a 30,000-seat stadium could suit us, but we would have to move everything and it’s not the easiest,” explained the Toulouse president.
By staying on the current site, “we have the means and the land necessary to be able to technically go up to a stadium of 23-24,000 people”, he specified.
After discussing it with the various institutional partners, the decision must be taken in the coming months in order to reach the horizon 2027-2028, when a new metro line will serve the area directly from the city center.