2023-04-27 15:51:20
No “Marseillaise”, no blue-white-red flag, just a neutral banner and international music. This surreal scene happened last Wednesday during the European Sambo Championship (a discipline invented by the Soviets during the First World War and which consists in defending oneself with bare hands) which took place in Haifa, Israel, when Zipporah Corcher climbed to the top step of a rather strange podium. In the under 50 kg, in addition to the French, a Russian fighter was also present on the third step, also under a neutral banner.
“There were two flags of the FIAS (International Amateur Sambo Federation), in place of the French and Russian flag, alongside the Romanian and Spanish flags, says the Frenchwoman. We know the political context with Russia. But for France, we are not at war and yet we do not have the right to be identified as French. »
At 26, the former judoka discovers the wonderful world of sambo. For two years, the FIAS no longer recognizes France as a nation in its own right because of a dispute between the French Fighting Federation (FFLDA) on which sambo depends and the French Committee of Sambo (CFS), an association law 1901, which is also recognized internationally.
While waiting for the conflict to be resolved, the FIAS has established a selection combining the two French entities, while prohibiting the latter from wearing the colors of France.
“I will always miss something”
“It’s a somewhat ridiculous situation, describes Séphora Corcher. There are two teams from France, each with its own equipment. Due to a personal conflict, the French samboists paid a high price. It’s sad to cry. For Séphora Corcher, this grotesque situation reached its climax last year. Affiliated to the CFS, the new samboist is very happy to participate in her first international competition in Novi Sad in Serbia during the European Championships last September.
“Me, I’m just an athlete and my job is to train to bring back medals,” she explains. I didn’t really know what was going on in sambo. Some time before taking part in the European Championships, a friend told me that if I became European champion, I would not be recognized since I was not licensed by the Wrestling Federation. However, I needed this recognition, especially in the professional context. »
In disaster, Séphora Corcher takes an FFLDA license just before the Euro. “The competition is going wonderfully, I notably beat Maria Molchanova, the Russian four-time world champion in the semi-finals. And in the final, I won the title of European champion. »
For her first European title of her career last September, Séphora Corcher did not hear “la Marseillaise”. Nor last week when she retained her title in Haifa. “I am twice European champion and I have won two international tournaments but I have never heard the national anthem, notes Séphora. Of course, the most important thing is to win. But there is frustration and I will always miss something. »
“It crossed my mind to stop”
Especially since it is not every day that France wins international titles in a sport dominated by Russians and Eastern European countries. From there to stop sambo? “Yes, it crossed my mind, admits Sephora. Besides, I know a lot of athletes around me who have had enough and want to quit too. What keeps me going is that I fell in love with this sport. I didn’t know sambo at all. For me, it’s a wonderful discovery, and I don’t want to give up for a conflict of people. »
Since April 14, 2023, the 26-year-old Guyanese has been a peacekeeper. “It’s thanks to my status as a high-level athlete that I was able to become one,” she explains. A status that I would not have had by staying at the CFS. If I want to become world champion one day, I have to be able to train hard. So I need my professional career to be arranged to allow me time to train. »
In his sights, the World Championships next November in Kyrgyzstan, but also the World Combat Games a month before in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. “It’s a competition that brings together the three best from each continent, explains Séphora. I will be the only French present. I hope that by then, the problems will be solved and that in Saudi Arabia or at the Worlds, I could this time hear the Marseillaise… ”
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