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Arthaud, Muffat, Vastine ... What do they have gone into this mess?

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Posted on 10-03-2015 at 3:24 p.m.

France lost in the crash of two helicopters in Argentina on the set of the reality TV show "Dropped" three national sporting glories. A huge mess.

The Selfie posted on Facebook shows the participants of the show "Dropped" (TF1), died in the crash of two helicopters in Argentina.(Rex / SIPA)

Like a nightmare that you picked in the murky morning hours. This Tuesday, March 10, France has learned incredulous death of three of its sporting glories following the collision of two helicopters, 11,000 kilometers from Paris, as part of a program of TF1 called " Dropped ". "Dropped", "abandoned" in good French. A drama among others. But a drama, the absurd taste, which is barely passing.

Camille Muffat, Alexis Vastine, Florence Arthaud, these three exceptional sportsmen had nothing to do together in the Argentine pampas. The former swimmer, the boxer on the return and the ever sailor were part of the small coterie of sports celebrities, but each on his Olympus, each with its audience. Television brought them together in the same funeral destiny. TV or rather reality TV, large consumer of young and old glories in search of money, recognition, or simply challenges after the "little death" of sports retreat.

There are three weeks into the living room of the Ministry of Sports, University Jean-Pierre Karaquillo made its report on the status of sports, co-written with Olympic champions Astrid Guyart and Martin Fourcade. At the table of the Minister, were exchanged on the precariousness, otherwise the vulnerability of retired athletes. The "queen" Christine Arron lost in the aisles of the Insep in search of a future. The Fallen Prince Thomas Bouhail, body smashed through his gymnastics career and a series of failed operations. Christine Arron, Thomas Bouhail were not in Argentina. But they could have. Like many former athletes to fill the void of a post-career, that neither the club nor the university adequately prepare.

"Having made the sport is limited disability"

This time, TF1 was released to great lengths to attract customers. The cast was worthy of the Stars of Sport: Sylvain Wiltord, European champion in football, Jeannie Longo, Alain Bernard, Olympic swimming champion, so Florence Arthaud , Alexis Vastine and Camille Muffat, left with six other passengers in both helicopters of the first rotation. One wonders how "small Atlantic bride," if the whole character, could end up in this mess. Perhaps the need to raise money for access to fresh water, the great cause that defended its foundation.

One can imagine a little better the need for recognition of the soldier Alexis Vastine (121st Regiment train), best amateur boxer of his generation, deprived of the reputation of a Brahim Asloum, through the fault of painful arbitral awards at the Beijing Olympics and London. And we will return to loop a few minutes of conversation we had made with Camille Muffat on Nice terrace, there are three years ago.

When we had met on the eve of his London tripled (gold 400m freestyle, silver in the 200m and bronze in the 4x200 relay), Camille Muffat had us amazed by its unique character, a mixture of determination and calm resignation. Both focused on the present, and confused about her future, she confessed to live "a grandma of life," not to take a particular pleasure to swim outside of competition, and devote himself entirely to his Olympic obsession without his seeing exactly that his vow, once granted, could fetch.

Camille Muffat lamented that in France, "to have made the sport is a handicap limit."