French European Parliament member Manon Aubry invoked World War Two-era Olympic swimmer Alfred Nakache during a television debate about Leon Marchand's refusal to state his political views, drawing a sharp public rebuke from Nakache's family, who accused her of ignoring his deportation to the Auschwitz concentration camp.
The controversy began after Marchand, one of France's most decorated Olympic swimmers, gave an interview on France 2's evening news programme, 20 Heures, on Sunday, August 30, 2026, in which he declined to publicly state his political convictions. His stance drew criticism from some and support from others.
Sports minister defends Marchand's silence
France's Sports Minister, Marina Ferrari, stepped in to defend Marchand. She said athletes were citizens like any others, and that in a republic, freedom meant being able to express one's opinions, but also having the right not to.
Marchand himself has previously explained his reluctance to take political positions, saying he does not feel it is his place to do so.
Aubry cites Alfred Nakache
Aubry, a member of the European Parliament for the left-wing France Insoumise party (LFI), was asked about the row on the broadcaster BFM TV. She said she respected athletes' right to choose whether or not to take a political stance, but pointed out that other swimmers had spoken out before Marchand.
She referred to Alfred Nakache, another swimmer who trained in Toulouse, after whom one of the city's largest swimming pools is named. Nakache is known as the "Auschwitz swimmer" following his deportation there during the Second World War.
In a post on X on September 3, 2026, Aubry wrote that the 2027 election would shape the lives of many people, that athletes mobilising against the far-right National Rally, such as footballer Kylian Mbappe, knew what racism was, and that it was normal for artists or athletes to take a stand at such historic moments.
She said history held examples of engaged swimmers, noting that many pools across France carry the Nakache name. She said he trained in Toulouse just as Marchand does and was an antifascist swimmer who joined the French Resistance during the Second World War, adding that there were historical precedents, including of committed swimmers.
Family accuses Aubry of 'rewriting history'
The reference angered Annabelle Nakache, a comedian and actress whose grandfather was Alfred Nakache's cousin. In a social media post, she criticised the MEP, saying that when someone rewrites history but does not know how to write, certain people or references should be off limits to LFI. She accused Aubry of failing to mention that her ancestor was Jewish.
She said not only was he Jewish, but he was arrested at the Saint-Michel prison in Toulouse and deported to Auschwitz along with his wife and daughter, neither of whom ever returned.
Who was Alfred Nakache
Nicknamed "Artem," Alfred Nakache won five French championship titles in 1942 before being targeted by the collaborationist press over antisemitic attacks. He was subsequently arrested by the Gestapo and deported to Auschwitz.
Nakache's story has drawn renewed attention in France in recent years, including through a Toulouse-made film on his life that was in contention for the Oscars, and a book that revisited the unresolved question of who denounced him to the authorities. He has also been inducted into a Hall of Fame.
'We have heard everything now'
Annabelle Nakache said her relative's activism was certainly not of the kind claimed by LFI. She described herself as an engaged artist opposed to the party, saying she believed Alfred Nakache and his whole family would have felt the same way, and that she could confirm as much. She added that Aubry invoking the Nakache name was remarkable, remarking that people had now heard everything.
