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French coach switches jackets mid-competition at Winter Olympics
Benoit Richaud, a 38-year-old figure skating coach and choreographer, became a viral sensation on Tuesday after being photographed wearing the team jackets of both France and Georgia within minutes during the men's short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
Logistical marathon behind the scenes
Richaud is currently working with 16 skaters representing 13 different countries, seven of whom competed in Tuesday's event. However, the official Olympic schedule listed him as a coach for only four athletes: Max Naumov (United States), Stephen Gogolev (Canada), Adam Siao Him Fa (France), and Nika Egadze (Georgia).
The rapid succession of performances-particularly Siao Him Fa and Egadze, who skated 25th and 26th-forced Richaud into a quick wardrobe change, swapping national jackets between routines.
Emotional toll of multi-nation coaching
Richaud described the experience as emotionally demanding in an interview with the BBC's More Than the Score podcast. "It's an organization. It's going to be fast," he said. "If everything goes well, it's easy. But if one skater struggles and the next excels, managing those emotional peaks is tough."
He added that his signature all-black outfits have become a running joke, as fans now expect to see him in a different team jacket every few minutes.
How the jacket shuffle works
Richaud revealed the behind-the-scenes logistics: "I usually store my gear in the skaters' dressing rooms-though I'm not officially allowed. The team managers or leaders hold the jackets and hand them to me when needed."
During Sunday's team event, he was photographed in Georgia's jacket for Egadze, then reappeared in Canada's colors for Gogolev just 14 minutes later. By Tuesday's short program, he had also donned jackets for Spain and the United States.
Richaud's rising influence in figure skating
The French coach's popularity stems from his impressive track record. As a skater, he won the French Junior Championships in 2005-06 and later placed third at the senior level in 2009. However, his greatest success has come as a choreographer, earning the 2024 ISU Best Figure Skater Choreographer award and a nomination in 2025.
His influence was evident in Sunday's men's final, where two of the five skaters were coached by him. While athletes compete for their own countries, figure skating's individual-focused coaching model allows professionals like Richaud to work across borders-a rule that has enabled his multi-nation roster.
What's next for Richaud's skaters?
France's Adam Siao Him Fa sits third in the men's competition after the short program, positioning him for a potential medal in Friday's free skate. Meanwhile, Richaud's other athletes will continue their Olympic campaigns, with the coach likely to remain a fixture in the stands-switching jackets as needed.
