The rally was of short duration for the rugby

The rally was of short duration for the rugby. End of 2007, there were two members of the team of France (the theme and Frédéric Michalak phenomenon) among 10 young French well-known athletes. They left the top of the ranking, according to a study published in December 2008 by the Athlane firm on the reputation and image of athletes from the 15-34 years. "Spontaneous notoriety fell less than 5 ", explains François Guyot, Director General of the Agency-Council Sport Market, co-author of the investigation. Surely because they play abroad. "Conversely, it was noted in 2008 a strong breakthrough of the tennismen, linked both to the upturn in competitiveness between Nadal and Federer, ranked in the Top 10, and the good results of French Tsonga, Simon and Monfils, entering the 16th and 24th place", he added.

Unsurprisingly, the study aimed at helping the brands to invest in sports icons ("We chose the category of 15-34 years old because it is prescriptrice for sport, even to the older," said François Guyot), place at the top the indéboulonnable Zidane, yet at retirement, and Thierry Henry, "the" star in the team of France activity.

Chauvinism confirmed

With Ribéry, young Lyonnais Karim Benzema and the English Beckham, football truste half of the first ten squares, confirming his status as King of sports. "With 9 of Fame sponstanée, Benzema is a resounding", noted the Director General of Sport Market. With seven national in the Top 10, the French also confirm their chauvinism...

Florence Deronce, Director of studies of Athlane, the great teachings of the survey are yet elsewhere. "It first sees the little impact of the Olympic Games on the notoriety of the athletes." Alain Bernard, 40 Beijing medallists are non-existent in terms of notoriety spontaneous and very low power, even the brothers wrestlers flag and Nikola Karabatic biography. Bearing in mind that Alain Bernard began to speak of him several months before the Olympics by beating records, it can be said that it is the repetition of the good results which causes the media pressure and fame. "Another lesson: the absence of women. Only Manaudou and Mauresmo (18th to the classification of unaided awareness) appear in the study. Despite its failure in Beijing swimmer rises on the podium in terms of notoriety. But this Medal was his backhand. The 10-point increase in 2008 is related to his life of a young woman. "The verbatim of the interviewees are very clear:"unstable","lack of motivation","frivolous"", says the head of Athlane. In the end, the penalty falls: champion drops to 17th place in the top of the most "popular" sports on the other hand, Alain Bernard is at the top of this classification (before Federer and Ribéry). This will weigh the renewal of its sponsorship contracts, such as Lancel, coming due in 2009. His lawyer, Didier Poulmaire, do not: "We speak of an extension as well as with new partners." The French love the human side of Laure. The study focuses on young people who particularly sliced judgments.

In any event, its agreements with EDF and Artemis, the holding company of François Pinault, run until 2012. And the study shows, with Zidane, Noah and cozy, that popularity is resistant to the lack of competitiveness. Another example: Beckham in pre-retirement in Milan, which States is number one in dress inspiration...