For this French biathlon legend, the treatment of his sport on the L’Equipe channel is far from ideal.
He was the greatest French biathlete in history, before the arrival of a certain Martin Fourcade. Quadruple winner of the big crystal globe, between 2000 and 2004, Raphaël Poirée has lived for 17 years in Norway, where he does something completely different. He takes care of safety and quality in a construction company.
The Isérois answered the questions
from West Franceand mentioned in particular the development of his sport, increasingly popular in France, and on which he has a rather distant view. “It’s another world. I’m very glad I didn’t live through this period. There is no regret for not having been more publicized, that does not interest me”he assures.
After having been a coach (in Belarus but not in France), Raphaël Poirée sometimes worked as a consultant. He has mixed memories of it, especially with the channel L’Equipe, which broadcasts the biathlon unencrypted in France (Eurosport is the other broadcaster in France).
Too many “celebrities” on the L’Equipe channel
“I didn’t like these experiences, it’s not my thing, he confides. With the Équipe channel, things were going too fast, there were too many people… I worked with Norwegian TV on the last Olympics, there it was something else, more professional. It was much more relaxed, we took the time to explain. »
Generally speaking, Poirée follows biathlon news from quite a distance. “I look when I have nothing else to do, I prefer to ski. I followed a little to Grand-Bornand, because it is in France. There are a lot of people, it’s nice. I have the impression that biathlon hasn’t changed too much: it shoots at the same speed, the places are the same, the distances too, the equipment has evolved slightly. »
