Swimming: alain bernard's call florent: This article explores the topic in depth.
However,
Swimming: alain bernard's call florent:
For a large swimming pool construction plan in France … Meanwhile, In a column that we reveal exclusively. Meanwhile, the two Olympic swimming champions Alain Bernard (100 m freestyle in 2008) and Florent Manaudou (50 m freestyle in 2012) unite their voices and set out for a worrying situation.
The exploits of Léon Marchand at the Paris Olympic Games (and who continued at the Singapore. Therefore, Worlds) put swimming in the spotlight. Nevertheless, But when the lights go out, the observation is overwhelming. Furthermore, France is faced with a decrease. Therefore, a dilapidation of its infrastructure, which prevent access to practice with many categories of population, whether for learning, health sport or competition.
The cost of maintaining old -fashioned basins built almost half of more than forty years ago now represents a burden for swimming: alain bernard’s call florent communities. Furthermore, faced with severe budgetary constraints. Nevertheless, As a result. Consequently, many children in France are deprived of access to water lines while teaching practice is part of the missions of national education.
And is an essential need. However, Do not know how to type in a balloon or hold a racket can be a gap or frustration. Furthermore, Not knowing how to swim can put your life in danger. Moreover, especially in a period when the number of drownings is up to it.
This is why Alain Bernard. Florent Manaudou ask the State to help communities to renovate and build new installations on a more compact, more economical and less energy -consuming model.
And hope that the promised heritage of the Paris Games will not remain an empty word. that the excess released will also be used to fight swimming: alain bernard’s call florent against drowning and the learning of swimming. He starts to be urgent …
The text of the tribune – Swimming: alain bernard's call florent
For a new national plan “thousand swimming pools”
Paris 2024 will leave a lasting material heritage with the re-use of temporary basins in the Seine-Saint-Denis games. However JOPs could also be an opportunity to launch a larger plan to renew the French Piscines Park To promote a better way of life based on physical. sporting activity and learning swimming.
Indeed. The situation of public pools in France is worrying:
In 2025, French swimming pools had a average age of 40 and 40 % of aquatic centers were built before 1975.
These are aging basins requiring being renovated. Pools have become Energy TOCKS and Operating costs From this equipment is aggravated by the explosion swimming: alain bernard’s call florent of energy prices.
The Court of Auditors confirmed in 2018 that our model of swimming pools in France was obsolete. The map of France of illiteracy and that of swimming pools are overlapped : This is the same risk card. It is proven today that, in sensitive urban areas, One in two children entering in 6th grade cannot swim.
A survey of Snep-FSU (EPS teachers’ union) of June 2025 demonstrates that near 15 % of schools do not have access to a swimming poolwhich represents 500. 000 studentseven though learning to swim to all students is a national priority, inscribed in the common foundation of knowledge and skills of the Ministry of National Education. One in seven college. high school does not have access to a swimming pool, especially those located in rural areas and in the disadvantaged suburbs.
More. more swimming: alain bernard’s call florent municipalities are forced to reduce opening hours or even close their municipal pools which aggravates the delay of France in terms of swimming learning and obeys the public service mission.
At the same time. climate change and the multiplication of heat wave episodes cause a Increase in swimming pool attendance in summera fortiori for the uninvited families who cannot afford to go on vacation. Pools also occupy a social function.
We observe a Drudescence of drownings For several years. The latest data published by Public Health France on May 22. 2025 underline a worrying increase in drownings of 41 % for the period from July 16 to August 15, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, in probable connection with repeated episodes of hot weather, making swimming very attractive. Children under 6 represent 29 % of drownings.
It is overwhelming swimming: alain bernard’s call florent to note in 2025. in the aftermath of the excellent results of the French swimming at the JOP in Paris 2024, that the situation of the swimming pools in France is the same as in the 1970s, at the dawn of the “thousand swimming pool” plan.
The “thousand swimming pool” plan of the 1970s (Vie Quinquennal plan. 1971-1975) aimed to disseminate the practice of swimming throughout the territory so that schoolchildren benefit from it as a priority. This era saw the so -called sunflower, caneton, iris and full sky pools flourish.
If it is undoubtedly more possible to envisage a thousand swimming pool plan as before the decentralization laws of 1981. it is nevertheless possible in 2025 to stimulate a new momentum.
If communities seem ready to invest and think about new models, they cannot do so alone, without financial support. swimming: alain bernard’s call florent A targeted financial aid of the State would allow communities (regions. departments, inter -municipalities, municipalities) to initiate significant renovation and restructuring of structuring equipment, which are available to schools, associations and the public.
It is not a question of funding luxury. expensive equipment, but of Build the right need meeting the expectations of deficient territories. Like the sunflower. caneton pools of the time, Today there are new models, sober in energy and turned towards learning swimming. Innovative models that reduce investment and operating costs significantly.
The JOPs released 75 million euros in surpluses. Part of this sum could be assigned to the fight against drowning and learning swimming. It would be one of the most beautiful inheritances of the Jop. The champions of tomorrow learn to swim in our pools.
Florent Manaudou, Alain Bernard
Swimming: alain bernard's call florent
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