Rainer Moritz is director of the Hamburg Literature House and knows France well. In his youth he was a big fan of the Tour de France. In an interview with the sports show, he looks at the social situation in France and the Tour de France after the unrest.
sports show: What does the Tour de France mean for France?
Rainer Moritz: Can’t rate that highly enough. I’ve followed this over the years. The name says it all: Tour de France. She has always been a glue for French society. One of the major sporting events that has attracted the attention it deserves for decades. Sport has something that connects people, it also covers up a lot in a society, and it covers up cracks in a society. And the Tour de France has always done that. It goes without saying that not all French people are enthusiastic Tour de France fans. Those who are not interested in this sport will not gain much from the Tour de France and will be happy when it is over after a few weeks.
sports show: To what extent does the Tour de France also have a unifying character for the French nation?
Moritz: In the past, only French cities and municipalities were involved. That has changed, also for financial reasons. But because this event runs through the whole of France, you notice that everyone is there. As I said, those who are interested in the sport. And of course everyone switches off in a way because they can focus on something that seems to just be about the sport and the performance.
sports show: At the same time, how does the enthusiasm for the Tour de France, which leads through all of France, fit with the social situation of the country?
Moritz: This is not just a French problem. You can also observe that in other countries, such events, which don’t have to be just sporting events, always serve to distract people from what’s on the mind of a society. The fact that France is a divided nation, the rift through society, became very clear in France as early as 2005, during the first unrest. And now, of course, again in the last few weeks. Of course, sport hides that. And athletes struggle to find their way around. It is also clear that those who profit financially from an event like the Tour de France have no interest in a political shadow hanging over this event.
sports show: To what extent is this division reflected in the discrepancy between the enthusiasm for the tour and the politically tense situation?
Moritz: This also applies not only to France. You cannot be constantly affected as a citizen of a country. You can’t argue politically all the time. This is an ancient function of sport: bread and circuses. To distract from what is happening. This happens in France every year when the Tour de France starts. This year, of course, under special circumstances. This means that such a sporting event should also distract the citizens, it should provide relaxation. Of course, this is all a temporary state and doesn’t really hide what’s rumbling about in a society.
sports show: Cyclist Guillaume Martin, footballer Kylian Mbappé and other internationals have taken a stand on the death of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk and the riots. How important is it when athletes speak out on political issues?
Moritz: This is a very important factor. Famous athletes are icons, are idols. And no matter what you say, it’s received differently than when a “normal citizen” comments on a political topic. But we all know, as we saw at the football World Cup in Qatar, that athletes are in a quandary. That means: how far do you want to express yourself politically? To what extent is there also the fear of possibly spoiling things with sponsors, of being excluded? It’s a question of character. Each individual has to decide. It is always important for a society.
sports show: French President Emmanuel Macron also traveled to the tour. It was his first stay outside of Paris after the riots. How do you assess his presence there?
Moritz: He is an experienced politician. Of course, he knows exactly that he needs symbolic actions. Remember how German politicians have always associated themselves primarily with football. Think of Gerhard Schröder, of Angela Merkel. It has always been part of the fact that politicians seek proximity to sport when their own nation is successful. Being photographed with athletes is a big diversionary tactic. And the glamor of sport should have an effect on politicians. In other words, Macron is consciously using this opportunity. He is massively criticized for the unrest in the Parisian banlieues. And an event like the Tour de France offers him the opportunity to get out of this mill himself and sunbathe a little. This is of course only temporary. That will be over at the end of the tour. But this is something that has been observed in politics for decades. Proximity to sport should create popularity.
sports show: If politicians are basking in the glamor of a sporting event, why doesn’t sport have to address political issues as well?
Moritz: This is an old cross, especially with the sports officials. Again, a look back to Qatar for the World Cup. If you look back a long way, as far as football is concerned, you can also lead the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. People have always shied away from expressing themselves politically. People were afraid that the sport, that supporters and sponsors would withdraw when there was open political discussion. Even if there is talk of a boycott. When it comes to saying that you can’t celebrate such sporting events in times like this. In other words, sport is finding it very difficult to fly the flag politically. There are always individual exceptions. Athletes who are brave. The officials are usually not.
sports show: Throughout its long history, the Tour de France has also been used time and again to draw attention to political or social problems. Is there anything else you expect?
Moritz: Big events like the Tour de France naturally offer a wonderful area. That’s where the attention is. Although interest in TV broadcasting has waned over the last ten or fifteen years. But everyone knows: I can get attention there. So if I come up with an example that doesn’t sound so invented: if activists were to get stuck at a crucial stage of the Tour de France, if they prevented or made the mountain finish more difficult, then of course they can be sure that attention will be generated immediately becomes. Whether that’s always beneficial to the cause is another question entirely.
sports show: You yourself followed the Tour de France enthusiastically and turned away after the doping scandals. How do you view the Tour de France today?
Moritz: Yeah, I still haven’t quite gotten over it. I was an avid supporter of the Tour de France as a schoolboy and youngster. I sat in front of the television in the afternoons, I’ve always had a soft spot for the weak. For those who never quite made it. The symbolic figure for this is Raymond Poulidor. The man who has finished second and third umpteen times, has never worn the yellow jersey. I always much preferred him to Jacques Anquetil or Eddy Merckx when I was young. But the doping issue, the scandals surrounding Jan Ullrich, Lance Armstrong, who had to give back all the titles. That shook me at the time and I personally have not recovered from it. I don’t think I’m alone there. They also tried to deal with the topic of doping differently. But there’s still this nagging feeling that there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that we’d better not know about.