"They all want to be like Léon Marchand and work with Bob Bowman": these agencies that facilitate the American exile of French swimmers

It exists in all sports, and even for years in swimming. Former champions of the caliber of Romain Barnier, Frédérick Bousquet, and Sébastien Rouault once crossed the Atlantic to sign with American universities. For a year, a certain Xavier Marchand, vice-world champion in 1998, also moved to the United States with his partner Céline Bonnet and their little Léon, then two years old. Two decades later, Léon Marchand is an incredible source of inspiration. Since the Toulouse native, who committed to Arizona State in the summer of 2021 and now trains in Austin, won four individual gold medals and one bronze with the 4x100m medley relay at the Paris Olympic Games, there has been an exponential wave of French people leaving France for the United States.

From one or two dozen, there are now more than a hundred swimming in 25-yard pools (22.86m), the American-specific measurement. " We're going through this and we have to react structurally ," agrees Denis Auguin, deputy DTN. Because the motivations of these voluntary exiles are multiple, but also lie in this opportunity to join groups, to experience major university team competitions, which doesn't exist in France, and especially isn't part of its culture.

As the French Elite Championships begin Saturday in Montpellier, studying the phenomenon seems all the more interesting given that most of the young contenders now go through agencies that act as intermediaries with US universities. In France, there are half a dozen of them. " Do we really need their service, or isn't it 'toobidon.com'? " asks Mary-Ambre Moluh, a 19-year-old sprinter and backstroker who competed in the 4x100m and 4x100m medley relays at the Paris Games. A question she quickly qualifies by discussing her own journey and that of some of her compatriots.

French backstroker Mary-Ambre Moluh left for the United States last year. (S. Boué/L'Équipe)

For a long time, the young woman wanted to continue her studies in the United States, she switched last year. But without resorting to these agencies. " We don't need an intermediary when our performances put us in the spotlight ," she believes. So I registered myself on swimcloud (a platform that connects swimmers and universities, editor's note) , universities were informed but it was me who authorized them to contact me by WhatsApp or Instagram... They all tend to sell dreams, but I sorted them out. " And chose to join the prestigious University of Berkeley, where she also rubs shoulders with backstroker Mewen Tomac, sprinter Nans Mazellier and butterfly swimmer Lilou Ressencourt.

That said, Mary-Ambre Moluh admits that at the end of the process, she struggled with the administrative side and approached an agency that helped her with her generic application. " She was afraid of making mistakes ," emphasizes Martin Casse, director of Elite Athletes, who himself studied in Texas. "We are the leader in France, and this year, we will send a little over 350 young people. But if we are looking to develop swimming, it is not our main sport. " The agency has placed nearly 200 soccer players, 90 athletes and 60 tennis players. " We look at the package as a whole: the athletic level, the age, the potential, but also the academic level. We deal with profiles ranging from Mary-Ambre or Clément Ducos (4th in the 400m hurdles at the 2024 Olympics, editor's note), to young people who are going to division 2 or community college. We try to respond to requests, whether the athlete is at regional or Olympic level. "

The biggest obstacle is English. This stresses athletes out a lot, especially when it comes to taking the tests.

This is precisely the observation that is striking in swimming: " There were quite a few requests with all types of profiles, but we have noticed since last year that they often come from swimmers who have the possibility of shining at the international level and are already in the French youth teams. These people had until now tended to stay in France ," explains Valérie Inghels of UniAthlete. At the time a swimmer, she had contacted a Belgian agency to go to the United States in 2012. " Even if I remain very happy with the experience, I was not supported as I would have liked," she explains. Following this personal experience, I created the agency with more personalized support in 2018. " According to her, requests have doubled, even tripled. "They all want to be like Léon Marchand, and work with Bob Bowman," summarizes Anne Lepesant.

An American, she's more of an independent free agent, even though she works with a partner who owns the PSG franchise in California. When she was younger, she played tennis for Princeton University and began a career in finance. Married to a Frenchman, her four daughters swam, and she eventually quit finance to manage their university recruitment. A family friend, she also looked after Clément Lefert after the London Games and his Olympic title with the 4x100m relay. Since then, several clients of the Nice club have approached her, such as Lilou Ressencourt, an Olympic relay runner in Paris, whom she placed at Berkeley. " I'm focused on the high-end academics, which sets me apart a bit ," adds Anne Lepesant. " And since I've been working with Swimswam (a specialist site, editor's note) for twelve years , all the coaches know me and trust me." "They didn't hesitate when she suggested the butterfly from Tarbes, who moved to Nice at 14.

" I always knew I would go and study abroad, in an English-speaking country. I told my coach when I was 15, and I almost left at 18 ," says Lilou Ressencourt. "But I wanted to do a degree in France, and the 2024 Games were just around the corner, so I postponed my departure until I was 21." In January 2023, the final year of her degree (DUT GEA in business management and administration), she began the process, contacting Anne Lepesant, whom her coach, Fabrice Pellerin, knew. Deterred by the price - " I'm expensive, probably double the price of other agencies ," she admits - the swimmer hesitated a little: " I must admit that, from start to finish, I was very well supported, whereas friends told me that with an agency, they were often left in the lurch once they were placed. "

Of course, the so-called agencies claim the opposite. This includes Simon Botton, who created BSathletics in 2022 and, after the Games, joined forces with Clément Secchi, his childhood friend and Olympic medalist in Paris in the 4x100m medley relay, for which he swam the heats. " I don't see us as an agency; I wanted to create a family, " maintains this former member of the Cercle des Nageurs de Marseille, who, like many of his colleagues, including Secchi, often had to fumble through the maze of North American universities when he studied there.

" I have knowledge of the academic system. Outside of the agency, I'm the director of a criminology and cybercrime research center and laboratory at Georgia State University. Clément knows the sports side of things, all the coaches, and the universities. Since swimming is a field we both master, when we combine our skills, it allows us to give athletes and their families, and even coaches in France, all the information they need to make decisions. "

Clément Cecchi has teamed up with his childhood friend Simon Botton. (S. Boué/L'Équipe)

For him, the first obstacle is education in France: " The biggest obstacle is English. It stresses athletes a lot, especially when it comes to taking the tests. " Many have been rejected, even though their academic and athletic levels would have been sufficient to obtain scholarships. " When I make a presentation, I remind people that you have to list four things before committing: what you are looking for academically, athletically, financially, and geographically," says Anne Lepesant. From there, everyone evaluates the academic aspect, athletic potential, and financial needs. Many swimmers can apply for a full scholarship, but quite a few will have to pay for part of their studies. As for agency remuneration, it ranges from 3,500 to nearly 10,000 euros depending on the formula.

" When I make a presentation, I remind people that you have to list four things before committing: what you are looking for academically, athletically, financially, and geographically."

Once an agreement is reached with a university and the scholarship is negotiated, the administrative procedures must be refined: registration at the university, translation of school reports, the procedure for obtaining a visa, the eligibility conditions for being able to compete in university competitions, even the required vaccinations, which are not necessarily the same. The hassles can multiply and the success of the project depends precisely on the swimmer's ability to escape the traps, and therefore on the support he pays for. An example with Mary-Ambre Moluh: " Studies at Berkeley cost $84,000 per year, not including accommodation or food. Initially, I was told that I was being offered a 100% scholarship. I read the paragraphs and understand that they are ripping me off: the first year, they pay the tuition and I am assigned housing and fed, but the other three years, they finance the tuition and $15,000 a year for housing and food. But with this amount, you realize that you don't get far, my rent being $1,800 for a four-person roommate, and while the food basket for a month is $300... Well, I told them that it wasn't enough, and they gave me a raise, but I imagine that not everyone has this luxury. " It's obvious.

Then there remains this essential aspect: in the United States, the double degree program is a reality. " The young French people who leave have their heads on their shoulders and are interested in studying ," observes Martin Casse. "We are students as much as athletes. And if we don't go to class, if we don't validate our classes each semester with an average, the adventure can end, the athlete can be removed from the team and become ineligible for the NCAA. " Of course, there are failures. But, overall, the opinions seem favorable. " It's the best choice I made ," promises Lillie Freulon, who grew up in New Caledonia before arriving in mainland France where her great qualities in the youth system were not enough for her to break through, and who joined the United States last fall. And if she won't be competing in the French Championships, she intends to prolong the adventure.