Featured Image Credit: Xavier Laine / Alex Pantling / Getty Images
Topics: Olympics, Football, Sport, World News
Tom Earnshaw
Topics: Olympics, Football, Sport, World News
A bizarre rule combined with a decision taken by the manager of the men's French Olympic football team resulted in all players being awarded silver medals... except for one.
France lost in the final of the men's football at the 2024 Paris Olympics after a nail biting match against Spain.
The hosts found themselves in the lead after 11 minutes through Enzo Millot, only for Spain to hit back quickly, scoring three goals in 10 minutes making with Alex Baena slotting home the third in the 28th minute.
France managed to rescue extra time with a dramatic last minute penalty, but Spain proved the better side, scoring twice in the extra 30 minutes through Sergio Camello, securing the gold medal in what has been an incredibly successful summer for Spanish football.
The Frenchmen had to settle for silver medals. Well, except for one of them.
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One player in the French Olympic squad ended up leaving the tournament without a medal, despite all of his teammates securing silver.
And it is as a result of a specific rule set in place by FIFA, which when combined with the actions of France and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry - who was managing the team - resulted in a pretty unfortunate outcome.
Theo de Parcin, a goalkeeper for Auxerre, was left stood around his teammates with no medal around his neck during the celebrations to secure silver.
De Parcin, 23, missed out due to not playing a single minute during the Olympics.
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But it turns out that playing a single minute wouldn't have been needed. Instead, all that was necessary was for Henry to name him in one match day squad.
Under FIFA rules, De Parcin was on stand-by for the team as injury cover.
Technically labelled an 'unenrolled alternate player', he was one of four players in reserve should those in the squad get injured.
The rules are crystal clear on this matter, stating: "Should an alternate player replace a player and appear on the start list, said alternate player will also obtain a medal should their team finish first, second or third in the tournaments, in addition to the replaced player."
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Going by the Olympic rules set out by FiFA, it means that De Parcin would have been in line for silver had Henry simply named him on the bench for any of the games that France took part in.
Despite the other three stand by players - Monaco's Chrislain Matsima, Lens' Andy Diouf and Lyon's Johann Lepenant - featuring in the pool match against New Zealand after having already secured top spot, Henry decided not to risk it by putting De Parcin in the squad.
Spain handed out golds to all of their players, with all four of their stand by footballers featuring at some point.