Swimmer Desplanches talks about serious crisis: ‘I thought it was better to break my leg’

Blick: Jérémy Desplanches, a few weeks before the World Cup you moved your training base from France to Geneva. An act of desperation to get into World Cup shape?
Jeremy Desplanches: Oh yeah. It can be risky because there is very little time to get used to it. On the other hand, I couldn’t get any further in France, it was a waste of time. And this is my home, here I feel comfortable. Even though I haven’t been here in ten years. It’s good to see all my old friends again. I have a lot of catching up to do.

Isn’t that too much of a distraction?
I have to be careful. My friends call me almost every night and want to take me to a party. But I have to be strict and say no. After all, I’m still a professional swimmer.

But still? Were you no longer?
I didn’t want to be that anymore.

Have you thought about resigning?
I had lost the pleasure of swimming, along with a long-term Covid illness and mononucleosis at the same time. This combination was not fun.

That completely threw the rug out from under you.
Absolute. I could barely bring myself to exercise anymore. Until March last year I had to pull the handbrake and seek professional help.

What was the reason for this?
I remember very well how I rode home on the scooter after training. And then the thought suddenly occurred to me: if I fell and broke my arm, it wouldn’t be so bad, I wouldn’t have to train anymore.

A frightening thought.
He didn’t scare me. I enjoyed life. But I just didn’t want to swim anymore. I even thought it would actually be better to break my leg. Back then I could still play computer games. In any case, my alarm bells started ringing.

And do you have psychological help?
Precisely. Three months before the World Cup in Japan I took a six-week break. I knew: either I take this break now, or I stop altogether.

What convinced you to continue?
To a large extent my coach in France, Philippe Lucas. I know he is known in the media as a tough dog who screams at the edge of the pool. He demands a lot from his swimmers. With him you travel an incredible number of kilometers and you can hardly ever rest. But he also gives a lot.

What do you mean?
He is absolutely always there for his swimmers. Always. Even when he feels bad. And when I showed up at the pool in the morning, completely exhausted, cold and exhausted, he would pat me on the shoulder and say: Hello Jérémy, it will work, we will find a solution. Without him I probably would have resigned.

And yet you left him.
It definitely would have worked better if I had been in top shape. But with all my illnesses it was no longer the right thing to do.

Now they’re going to stop after the Summer Olympics. You said that casually in a Facebook post. Others would hold a press conference to announce the resignation.
(Laughs.) The press conference is still coming, probably with my wife (French Olympic swimmer Charlotte Bonnet, editor’s note). She will also step down after the Games and there are a number of people we would like to formally thank. But anyone who knows me knows that I don’t want to make a big deal out of my dismissal. The thought had been floating around in my head for a long time. And the Olympic Games would be a great finale.

After winning Olympic bronze in Tokyo you wanted to hold on to the top position in the world, but now you haven’t qualified for Paris six months yet. Is qualification a must, despite the difficult times behind you?
It is allowed. It would really be a nice reward for the tough past two years.

So you are traveling relaxed to the World Cup in Doha, where you can qualify?
Yes… but not really. I have no obligation. But since my return to Geneva, the pressure of expectations from outside has increased again. People have noticed me again and expect something. And I would be happy if I could do it now. Then I would be more relaxed.

More relaxed to plan life after your career?
Ugh, I have to stop myself from thinking about the future too much. Right now I’m still a 100 percent swimmer, that’s my focus. What comes next remains to be seen.

But you certainly have an idea.
The only thing that is certain so far is that Charlotte and I will travel around the world for six months after Paris. And if we like it somewhere, who knows, we might stay there.