In 2017, through its Endowment Fund, the Group continued its joint efforts both in its traditional actions to support medical research and the initiatives of the charity 'Electriciens sans frontières' (Electricians without Borders), but also by starting two new sporting initiatives that emphasise the Endowment Fund's strong commitment to values of human brotherhood.

As you know, we support two young para-athletes under a performance contract agreed with the French Sports Ministry: Valentin BERTRAND, aged 21, hemiplegic T37 category, 400-metres and long jump athletics champion, and Yannick IFÉBÉ, aged 25, wheelchair fencing champion.

June was a busy month for Valentin BERTRAND with 3 competitions in 3 weeks. At the first interclub competition on 9 June, he says he achieved a good 100 m and ‘very average’ 400 m result. The second competition was the Paris Meeting, from 14 to 15 June, where he beat his record over 400 m (55.61 sec). Finally, from 23 to 24 June, he took part in the French Championships and finished 5th in the long jump with 5.36 m. After this month of competition, on 9 July Valentin was selected for the 2018 European Athletics Championships in Berlin, from 20 to 26 August. Valentin fell at 40 m from the line in the 400 m, saying “I tried, took risks and this time it didn’t work. I can't hide it, I was disappointed and it hurts both physically and mentally, but, OK, I'm learning". He then took 4th place in the long jump, just 1 cm away from a podium position, beating his personal best (5.85 m).

Yannick IFÉBÉ took part in the 2018 French Disabled Fencing Championships, held in Bordeaux from 16 to 17 June 2018, with over 130 athletes, and a new victory for the athlete, who became French champion. Congratulations!

Our support is given throughout their competitions and their preparation, with the prospect of wearing our colours at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. We also note that at the last world fencing Championship in Rome, November 2017, our young fencer and his team-mates were crowned runners-up in the team championship. In addition, he also took double Bronze medals in epee and sabre, in cate- gory B. The French team and Yannick have already qualified for the Tokyo Paralympic Games.