Presidential election 2026: Barely a candidate, Teddy Riner is caught up by the tax authorities

The judoka, who has just announced his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election, is facing a new tax dispute concerning one of his companies.

Barely having entered the presidential race, Teddy Riner already has a formidable opponent… the tax authorities. The tax administration is demanding €244,789 from Riner Estate, a real estate company managed by the five-time Olympic judo champion, L'Equipe reported on Wednesday. According to the sports daily, the tax authorities requested in July that the company, registered in Levallois-Perret, be placed into liquidation.

The proceedings were finally initiated on September 2nd by the Nanterre Commercial Court. The date of cessation of payments was set for March 3, 2025, according to a judgment published on September 11th in the official bulletin of civil and commercial notices. When contacted by AFP, Teddy Riner's entourage declined to comment. The French tax authority (DGFIP) also did not respond to requests for comment.

Previous cases

This new case adds to the already lengthy tax disputes involving the champion. In early November, L'Equipe revealed that the Versailles Administrative Court of Appeal had upheld the tax authorities' claim regarding a tax reassessment related to a luxury car rental company. The tax authorities accused Teddy Riner of having used vehicles from this company, a Ferrari and a Rolls-Royce, for personal purposes. A ruling was indeed issued on October 15th by the court to this effect, AFP confirmed, but the names of the individuals and companies involved are anonymized.

Another case involves the holding company TR Leader Group, which Teddy Riner managed until the end of October 2026. In May 2022, he received a demand for payment of €195,693 in penalties and late payment interest. In January 2026, the Cergy-Pontoise Administrative Court ruled inadmissible the company's claim for reimbursement of €195,693, as it contested the validity of the demand. This could potentially tarnish his surprise entry into the presidential race.