Yohann Diniz, who was ridiculed on social networks, wants to clear his honor in court
In front of one of the defendants, the judge, who has gone through less fun cases, couldn’t help but laugh when he heard his secretary reread an exchange on Facebook between a certain “Pedro les Sablettes” (pseudonym) and some haters. accusing him of doping.
“So Pedro, he’s the guy who’s going to train for the altitude training course, his friend Doctor Dollé (former FFA doctor) gave him the dates of previously unannounced checks. Thus, he was soft and calm, breaking the records of the stellar universe. He even took Speedy Gonzalez, the Ruskoff archo record holder of the star universe, five minutes before him. In short, a well-filled pedro-rapid. »
Another excerpt, less comical, more incriminating: “And to annoy my little Pedro, when do you show us your chase (sic) your biological and biological passport? If you are clean, show it. Remember exactly where your off-scores are high or your reticulocytes are (too) low. »
The first person was acquitted, the second person was convicted but appealed
Following the discussion, a guy wonders who the athlete Pedro is who is going so fast. He receives a musical response, an allusion to Jean-Jacques Goldman’s song: “I walk alone.” Pedro les Sablettes – a reference to his Brazilian origins and favorite beach – is Diniz. Johann Diniz, world record holder for 50 km (3h32’33” in 2014), signed a petition on 27 November 2019 with a group of nineteen French athletes led by Renauds Lavillenie, Kevin Mayer. , who objected to Mahiedine Mekhissi or Mélina Robert-Michon “the scourge of doping. »
45-year-old Diniz laughed less than the judge. Initially aided by the French Athletics Federation (FFA), which paid for his lawyer, Antoine Maisonneuve (since the Fed backed down, disapproving of criticism of his general policy), he attacked. “personal public defamation”Two freethinkers of the Internet, athletics fans and both known whistleblowers for the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD).
The first one, who stated that he had no contact with Yohann Diniz, was released in April last year. Second, Pierrot is less careful in his writings, no. He was sentenced to a fine of 50 euros and 1,000 euros in compensation. He filed an appeal to be heard on Wednesday afternoon before the 17th correctional chamber of the Paris court.
“It’s very easy to spit on people’s back behind the screen, but you have to provide proof and it will never happen because I have never taken doping. It’s an empty shell. »
Fierce, but therefore perhaps not always correct, debates, rare appearances in doping-plagued sports, and the almost systematic skepticism surrounding the controversy it creates create a problem, a little in the press, a lot on social media.
Diniz, who was very angry at that time, seems to have taken a step back: “Behind the screen it’s easy to spit on people’s backs, tells us but you have to provide proof and it will never happen because I never doped. It’s an empty shell. My preferences have always been exceptional, good and bad, hard to pin down. They also suit my personality. This work is ongoing. I don’t worry about it anymore…”
His defense attorney insists on his conclusion, asking for the verdict to be affirmed and highlighting another sentence written by another informant: “Diniz went missing in Albuquerque, a drug-taking center, a few weeks before the world record. I’m not saying anything else. »
The exchanges on the Facebook page of athletics coach-researcher Pierre-Jean Vazel were watched by only a few dozen Internet users. Yohann Diniz chose a bigger yard. Host of the Spé 15 site, anti-doping journalist Odile Baudrier will be heard as an unexpected witness and provide context.
On the way, the now retired Diniz, whose epics were always Homeric, theatrical and introspective, discovered a new horizon for himself. He works at Decathlon’s headquarters in Lille, but wants to travel “Within a year or two” In the mythical Paris-Colmar, which no longer leaves Paris, but still measures more than 400 km. Mixing his body and image with predecessors like Roger Quemener who started his passion. Even in the old Paris courthouse on the Île de la Cité, it’s a neater setting than a courtroom.
