Nelson Montfort

THE VOICE OF SUPPORTERS

For his first Olympic Games as a sports commentator, in 1992 in Barcelona, Nelson MONFORT interviewed Carl Lewis, a true star of athletics. The beginning of a long career in the world of the Games of which he became a specialist and which led him to write two books, «Sport, mes héros et légendes» in 2013, Éditions Place des Victoires and more recently «Mémoires Olympiques» in 2021, published by Michel LAFON, in which he looks back on the highlights of Olympism and the meetings that marked him the most.

Thanks to his mastery of 5 languages (in addition to French he speaks fluent English, Spanish, Italian and German), he interviewed athletes from all over the world, in many disciplines (he knows golf courses as well as tennis courts, swimming pools, skating trails and tracks and fields). In 2011, he was awarded the Mag d’Or for best journalist on the field by L’Équipe magazine.

That is why the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris represent for this great lover of sport and sportsmen, a unique major event for France whose countryside, terroir and landscapes he particularly loves.

Nelson always had a strong commitment to our Department. He attended many sports and cultural events. He was alsoa jury member of the Festival Musique et Cinéma which took place in Auxerre in the 2000s and he has family ties (his wife’s uncle havis owned for 30 years the pastry «Chez Marcel», in a main street of Auxerre) as well as very strong friendly  ties for many years. He enjoys spending a weekend playing golf, going to a AJA game with his friends or discovering the wealth of heritage and the many cultural events offered throughout the year. In 2021, he also agreed to be the sponsor of the 73rd edition of the Chablis Wine Festival at the request of the organizers.

Thus quite naturally he agreed, as early as 2020, to be a Volunteer Ambassador JO 2024 for Yonne who had officially asked him for it. He wants to promote this authentic «back base» and to invite the athletes to come and train and to relax there. With its rich cultural heritage, its unspoilt nature, for Nelson, Yonne perfectly fits the spirit of the Paris Games, committed to the future, especially in terms of the environment.