While the qualifications for the Open Espoir foot-volley tournament were being contested on Saturday, we met with the head of the organization, Nicolas Baudoin. The technician does not hide his enthusiasm for the evolution of the discipline, even though it remains little known.
How did the idea of organizing this Open Espoir come to you?
Nicolas Baudoin: It became very logical. The city of Nice gave us the opportunity to practice foot-volley at La Lauvette all year round. By getting closer to the District, we put more than 300 children on the sand. We organized a departmental Cup for them. Today, champions from Corsica and the Marseille region are participating in the Open. It’s a logical sequence.
You don’t hide your enthusiasm, but foot-volley remains a very minor discipline…
N. B.: Foot-volley is not a recent discipline. In 1987, we were live on Canal + (sic). Since 1991, we haven’t evolved, but that’s starting to change. Sand sports are becoming more democratized. The Corsicans are ahead of everyone. In France, the first foot-volley club was Corsican.
What is your long-term ambition for foot-volley? The Olympics?
N. B.: Former Brazilian football star Romario [ed.: elected federal deputy for the state of Rio de Janeiro in 2010, under the Brazilian Socialist Party] is thinking of giving this sport legitimacy in 4 x 4. But it’s Romario… (smile) Behind him, there is very strong lobbying. But our ambition is to organize international Espoir Opens. The future of this sport is through the youth.
