Xavier Richefort died suddenly at 59, a voice for sport on television dies

The newspaper L’Équipe is in mourning. This Friday, July 22, the sports media announced tragic news. The former volleyball player turned sports commentator on the L’Équipe channel, Xavier Richefort, died at the age of 59, following a heart attack. A tragedy that occurred when the journalist was to comment this weekend on the Final 8 of the Nations League volleyball, a competition in which the French team participates. “Xavier Richefort loved life, people and words, and he loved volleyball. […] His joie de vivre and his good words made him appreciated by his colleagues as well as by viewers. For the volleyball players, the journalist was a real member of the family”, wrote the sports media in a special editorial.

Former professional volleyball player, Xavier Richefort was crowned French champion with PSG-Asnières in 1993 and winner of the Coupe de France with the same club in 1994. Once his sports career was over, the man, originally from Poitiers, decided to s focus on journalism. After working for L’Équipe TV, Eurosport and Orange Sport, Xavier Richefort finally returned to the L’Équipe channel in 2012, on which viewers used to hear his voice during volleyball matches and petanque. At the same time, Xavier Richefort also had a small acting career. He notably appeared in Xavier Gélin’s film, The ideal manreleased in 1997, or in the clip I pull the trigger of the rap group NTM in 1993.

Rain of tributes for Xavier Richefort

After the announcement of his death, tributes multiplied to express their immense sadness and salute the memory of Xavier Richefort. “The horror. My partner, my friend has just left us. A thought for his children. Nothing will be like before. I will miss you, rest in paradise of the good guys”, wrote for example Jean-Luc Robert, his bocce sidekick on the L’Équipe channel. “Xavier had become a member of the pétanque family over the years. His voice, his laughter, his good humor were all reasons to appreciate seeing him at our major events. He knew how to highlight our flagship discipline. Much more than a great sportsman and a man of television, we lose a friend today. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.“, declared for his part Michel Le Bot, president of the French Federation of petanque and Provençal game in a press release. The players of the French volleyball team, very close to the journalist, did not miss any no more reacting to the tragic news, live on the evening team show.”It was important for us all to be together this evening to pay tribute to him. He’s someone I knew very, very young. He is someone who very quickly believed in our generation, who has always supported us. We will miss him“, said the volleyball superstar, in particular, Earvin Ngapeth.