It was hard to imagine Vincent Vittoz's astonishing statement about Émilien Jacquelin, called a "depressed athlete for a year and a half", remaining unanswered. She came this Saturday morning, on Twitter. The two-time silver medallist at the Beijing Olympics replied to the coach of the men's biathlon France team who, along with his colleague Patrick Favre, announced his departure at the end of the season.


3/3 It is probably a clumsiness due to too many emotions but the subject is too important not to talk about it.
Looking forward to reuniting with the Emilien group

— Emilien Jacquelin (@EmilienJck) March 18, 2023

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"Affirming that someone is depressed or sick, is the responsibility of a doctor, responded the 27-year-old Isérois. Announcing it publicly without the person's consent betrays medical confidentiality. Depression is an important, difficult subject, using it to explain a lack of performance is awkward. »

A season ended prematurely

"This topic affects men and women before talking about athletes or shooting level," continued the biathlete. And it is not doing a service to those who suffer from it to point the finger and make amalgams on a failed athlete. It is probably a clumsiness due to too many emotions but the subject is too important not to talk about. »



Jacquelin has climbed on three of Les Bleus' five individual World Cup podiums in 2022-2023, and ended his season prematurely in mid-February, after the Worlds in Oberhof, Germany.

"Looking forward to reuniting with the group," he concluded on Twitter. With coaches other than those who officiated happily since 2018, before a very complicated last campaign.

  • Biathlon
  • Sport
  • Emilien Jacquelin
  • Depression
  • Mental health