Marie-Jose Perec made a rare public statement on Thursday when she called on the French people to stop Jean-Marie Le Pen being elected president on Sunday by voting for Jacques Chirac.
France's triple-Olympic champion said far-right leader Le Pen endangered everything that was good about France. "I have decided to add my voice to those which have been raised against the temptation of France closing its borders," she said in a statement.
"I ask my compatriots to realise how much more valuable is a France which is a multi-cultural mix," said the Guadeloupe-born athlete.
Le Pen stunned the French political establishment when he finished second in the first round of voting a fortnight ago, ousting Prime Minister Lionel Jospin from the race.
Perec, who has hardly uttered a word in public since she fled the Sydney Olympics prior to running in the 400m, said although Le Pen has claimed non-French-born athletes did not appreciate French values and would not sing the Marseillaise, real sports fans would not take any notice of his views.
"It is true sporting performances are not that effective against the rise of racism and xenophobia. However, I believe that the athletes and their achievements do have an impact on the young, men and women alike of the great free country which is France".
Perec is the latest high-profile athlete to come out against Le Pen with most of the 1998 World Cup winning squad and the Six Nations Grand Slam rugby-winning side urging people to vote against him.
AFP