After approximately six months of retirement, Marc-Antoine Dequoy has returned to the football scene, vying for a championship. The 31-year-old former safety from Montreal Alouettes is now part of the Canadian men’s team participating in the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world flag football championship in Germany.
Dequoy retired from the CFL in February, citing physical exhaustion from the demanding schedule of 18 games per season. Despite initial hesitations about flag football, Dequoy eventually decided to give it a try after consulting with friends and enjoying the competitive aspect of the sport.
Taking a break from football, Dequoy co-hosted a television show from March to May, exploring various cities around the world. However, he felt a void without the competition and reached out to coach LaPolice to express his interest in returning to the field.
Having excelled in the CFL, winning a Grey Cup in 2023, Dequoy found flag football to be a new challenge due to its different rules and gameplay on a smaller field with five players per side. Adapting to the non-contact nature of the sport and mastering the technique of grabbing opponents’ flags posed challenges for the seasoned player.
In a turn of events, Nigeria’s withdrawal from the championship altered Canada’s schedule, reducing their preliminary-round games to two. Despite the change, Canada remains focused on securing Olympic berths by finishing in the top tier at the world championship.
With the ultimate goal of qualifying for the Olympics, Dequoy and his teammates are determined to perform well in Germany. The prospect of football potentially becoming an Olympic sport is a dream come true for Dequoy, who sees it as a pinnacle of achievement in his athletic career.
