Former cyclist Coste won gold in the team pursuit at the 1948 London Games.
In the summer of 2024 he had a role in the opening ceremony of the Paris Games. Coste was allowed to pass the Olympic flame to judoka Teddy Riner and athlete Marie-José Pérec. “I was very moved when I heard of the death of Charles Coste, Olympic champion of 1948 in London, who passed on the Olympic torch at the Games in Paris in 2024,” Ferrari wrote on X. “At the age of 101, he leaves behind an enormous sporting legacy.”
David Lappartient, chairman of the international cycling union UCI, also reflected on Coste’s death. “It is with great sadness that I learned that Charles Coste has passed away. My thoughts go out to his family and friends,” said the Frenchman.