The four-time world karate champion has proudly represented France in his discipline. On Monday, July 3, Christophe Pinna was thanked for his sports services, being awarded the Cross of Officer of the National Order of Merit. The ceremony took place on the Beau Rivage Beach in Nice, and gathered numerous personalities around the cause of sports. However, it was for the causes of humanity and solidarity that the Nice-based karateka preferred to highlight.
Recognition. That of a country, his hometown, and his sports peers. The ceremony began with a speech by Andrรฉ Bonny, somewhat out of place. The Officer of the Legion of Honor and Commander of the National Order of Merit embarked on an outdated patriotic plea, criticizing “athletes who do not sing the Marseillaise” at a time when the French football team is supported by an entire nation.
He then listed the impressive achievements of the champion from Nice and mentioned one of his primary qualities, his kind heart. After his decoration and a warm round of applause, Christophe Pinna took the floor to shift the evening back towards his values. He persuasively explained his desire to use sport for educational purposes, solidarity, exchange, and well-being, virtues already recognized in sports practice. Nothing new, nothing transcendent, except that before saying it, Christophe Pinna lives it. His club “Nice Elite Sports,” dedicated to teaching karate and martial arts in general, allows anyone unable to pay for the license to attend classes for free. He worked in the so-called difficult neighborhoods of Nice, from Moulins to Ariane, to restore confidence to troubled youth, steering them away from drugs and delinquency. He advocated for the younger children to return to school and stimulated the desire to work in the older ones.
His brother, Jean Marc Pinna, does not hide his pride for the one he describes as “the best of little brothers.” He talks about the distress of a Corsican child, motor-disabled, whose disabled parents could not adequately care for him. “My brother reacted immediately. The child needed specific equipment that the parents could not afford. He sent it a few days later, without asking anything from anyone, without telling anyone.”
Christophe Pinna even shared the applause. He then individually invited all his sports friends to join him. Among them, Bruno Bellone, Franck Esposito, Eric Roy, Loรฏc Leferme, Jean Camille Auillac. He presents a new friendship, with Pascal from Star Academy, born from his participation in the fifth installment of the reality TV show as a sports teacher. The singer from Nice raised his voice. The audience was delighted. The celebration could begin. Canapรฉs and champagne were enjoyed in a very family-like atmosphere. The newly honoured was very approachable, all smiles while posing with his wife and baby, or accompanied by some charming guests: Miss Cรดte d’Azur, her first runner-up, and the hostesses from Magic Model agency. The only drawback was the absence of his father, who was resting on the island of beauty for health reasons, and therefore could not attend the celebration. “Of course, he would have been proud…”, affirms the Knight of the National Order of Merit. “He is already very proud”, attests his brother.
Political figures were not lacking, but that evening, they remained discreet. Among the guests were the representative of the mayor of the city of Nice and Christian Estrosi. Christophe Pinna confesses: “I have friends in politics. But I’m not interested in it. They are too far from reality. I prefer real action, on the ground, the kind that makes things move forward.” Regarding a possible career in politics: “No, really, I’m not interested. About his decoration tonight, he adds: “Actually, I don’t care, I put sport at the service of my beliefs, what interests me is to be able to act and make things change in my city and for my people.” No politics then…?”
