Doping Agency Lifts Alcohol Ban for Pétanque (thanks to spiegel.de for the story)
Devotees of pétanque will now be able to enjoy a glass of pastis before a match again: The World Anti-Doping Agency is to remove alcohol from its list of prohibited substances for competitions.
Only the French, those masters of civilized living, could have invented the sport of pétanque. The game, a form of boules, involves throwing metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden jack, and can easily be played while smoking a Gauloise and drinking a glass of pastis.
Now competition pétanque players, who were previously banned from drinking during matches, can enjoy a glass too. The World Anti-Doping Agency, which coordinates the fight against doping in sport, has cut alcohol from its list of illegal substances for boules competitions.
The agency was responding to a petition by the World Boules Federation (CMSB), the French newspaper Libération reported Tuesday. "Let's be sensible," CMSB president Romolo Rizzoli told the newspaper. "You can drive a car after drinking two glasses of wine, but you can't play boules?" Rizzoli then wrote a letter to WADA, which heard his plea.
Boules will be taken off the list of sports for 2008 in which alcohol is prohibited. The list is now reduced to seven, including archery, billiards and powerboating, among others.
Boules players still have a long list of substances to avoid in competition, however. As well as the usual suspects of anabolic steroids, growth hormones, and beta-blockers, players are specifically instructed to abstain from cocaine, hashish, and heroin.
The first movie ever in which pétanque is more than a sideline. With famous actors such as Gérard Depardieu, Edouard Baer, Atmen Kelif, Virginie Efira and more. A comedy, to boot, which will hopefully make it even more appealing to the general public. The plot:
In the south of France, North African immigrant Mokhtar Boudhali, better known as Momo, makes a living with menial jobs and by hustling boules games for money with his best friend, coach and mentor, Jacky. The announcement of a major international petanque tournament, organized by a celebrity, will change Momo's life forever, as it could give him the fame he deserves and always dreamed of. But he first has to come to terms with himself, and face prejudice as an outsider. Thanks, in no small part, to Caroline, the girl he meets in the process, he succeeds. A friend, passion for the game, ànd love make him invincible. Source: Petanque America
The first movie ever in which petanque is more than a sideline, with famous actors (left to right) Virginie Efira, Atmen Kelif and Gérard Depardieu.
And kudos to Marco Foyot, who coached the actors during the shooting, summer of 2012.
Marco Foyot taught pétanque to Gerard Depardieu and Atmen Kelif.
Marco Foyot was the consultant of Gerard Depardieu for the new movie of Frederic Berthe “Les Invincibles” He filmed for 17 days did all the carreaux that you see in the movie and played himself as a World Champion in it.
He commented by saying that people always told him that one day he will be in the movies!
Atmen Kelif is one of main actors in that movie, playing the role of Momo a young man originally from Algeria who wants to become World Champion of Pétanque. He came fifteen days before the filming started at Marco’s club in Castelnau-Le-Lez and practised with him. Atmen took a license with Marco’s Club. He also had to help Gerard in is gesture to make him look like a real Pétanque player.
Escaped Circus Elephant Tanya Tramples Pensioner to Death at Pétanque Game - France
A two-tonne elephant, named Tanya, killed an elderly man during a rampage after escaping from an electrified pen
- Enraged two-tonne Tanya blunders into game of pétanque and kills elderly player.
A pensioner who was playing pétanque has died after he was attacked by a rogue elephant that had escaped from a circus.
Tanya, a two-tonne circus elephant, went on the rampage after breaking out from an electrified enclosure in the French village of Lizy-sur-Ourcq, 35 miles outside Paris.
According to investigators, she battered the 84-year-old man with her trunk and then stamped on him.
The victim, who has not been named, died from his injuries in hospital in nearby Kremlin-Bicetre.
Witnesses reported the animal as appearing "angry and upset". It had been performing to a sell-out audience on the day of the attack.
They claimed that Tanya grabbed a tarpaulin with her trunk and used it to cover the electric fence surrounding her enclosure before storming though two barriers, including one formed by a ring of circus trailers.
A police spokesman said: "Tanya attacked the first person she came across, who was an 84-year-old man playing pétanque in the village square with his friends.
"She slammed him to the ground with her trunk in a manner which left him with terrible injuries. She then trampled on him."
Animal rights campaigners have accused Cirque d'Europe - the managers of the show at which the elephant was performing - of animal cruelty.
Tanya, who was originally called Samba, was allegedly trained by staff to lie on the ground under the big top, as crowds including hundreds of children screamed and shouted.
"We were told that when Samba refused to perform one day, she was hit repeatedly by her trainer who only stopped because the children were in tears," Muriel Arnal, of rights group One Voice, said.
"I think Samba wanted to escape and the [victim] was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
One Voice has filed a criminal lawsuit against Cirque d'Europe, which denied mistreating the elephant.
The victim's brother also pledged to take legal action against the circus for failing to safeguard the public.
After the Eiffel and the Louvre comes Pastis and Pétanque...
Pétanque is a ball-game, as French as "Bonjour" - and nearly as simple. Tourists are discovering this overlooked sport as a new way of getting the full French experience.
(Published on Aug 24, 2013)
The Gawler Pétanque Club has developed a close relationship with the local Gawler Council and we started last year to organise what we call the Gawler Cross Country Pétanque Championships. We have a large reserve which covers about 15 hectares called Dead Mans Pass because during the original survey in about 1830 Colonel Light found the remains of a Caucasian man hidden in a gum tree.
The idea behind the tournament is to get people using the reserve and to get people enjoying pétanque.
We mark about 12 playing areas along the 5 Km of walking paths and give the participants a map and a playing card which shows which playing area and which teams they have to play. After 3 games the teams report back to the TD table with completed and agreed playing cards. We then arrange another two games to decide the winners we give trophies to the best novices, best juniors and best overall.
It is intended to be a fun event aimed at new comers as well as established players. The format is we will specify the opponents and the playing area for three games. The teams will have to locate their opponents and the playing area specified. After three games we will have a pause for lunch and then play another two games in the afternoon. One of the Gawler Councillors is providing medals and a trophy. Bring your friends, grandchildren and neighbours who knows they might enjoy playing the game we all enjoy. Registration is on the Sunday morning early in case it’s hot but it would be good to get an idea if you are thinking of coming along for catering. We donate 50% of all registration fees to the SAPL Junior fund.
We donate 50% of all registration fees to the SAPL Junior fund.
I look forward to seeing you on the 13th. Regards, Stan Wilson, Gawler Pétanque Club, for more information email:stan.wilson@bigpond.comflyer
SNAKE CUP Sunday 6th April 2014 at Prospect Pétanque Club, SA
This is the FINAL Snake Cup sponsored by Jake’s Family! - please join us to make this a great day for the family.
Open Triples
Registration $15 per player [includes a Gourmet BBQ lunch]
Great prizes
9.30am start (reg by 9.00am)
Register by 5.00 pm on Wed 2nd April to be in Early Bird Prize draw
Format depends on number of teams
Complete registration form below and email to: secretary@prospectpetanque.com.au or phone Grant 0431 412 384 or hand to PPC committee member.
Player No 1. .............................................................................................
Player No 2. .............................................................................................
Player No 3. .............................................................................................
The “Snake Cup” Memorial Trophy is a tribute to the memory of our Club’s finest young member. Though sadly denied fulfilling his life’s potential, Jake “The Snake” McKee [1984-2003] made an impact on the national pétanque scene not only as quality player but as a “good mate”.
