The article from Le Figaro highlights France's dependence on biathlon to stay competitive in the Olympic medal standings, particularly as they prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics. It notes that without the successes of French biathletes, who have won multiple medals, France would dramatically drop in the rankings, potentially falling to 15th place, which would place them alongside countries like Brazil and South Korea. This raises questions about the sustainability of France's Olympic success and their overall strategy in winter sports.

The biathlon has been a significant contributor to France's medal haul, with athletes like Julia Simon and Quentin Fillon Maillet bringing home gold medals. The article emphasizes that this trend mirrors the performance seen in the 2022 Winter Olympics held in Beijing, where biathlon was again the primary source of France's medals, showcasing a consistent reliance on this sport. Currently, France has matched a record high for medals at the Winter Games, but the dependency on a single sport poses strategic risks in the long term.

As the French team prepares for future competitions and the upcoming Winter Games, there is a sense of urgency to diversify their sports portfolio and strengthen other disciplines to ensure a more robust presence on the Olympic stage. The conversation around the implications of such dependency suggests a need for reform in training and development across less dominant sports to avoid potential pitfalls in international competitions.