After stepping away from professional football retirement, Marc-Antoine Dequoy has returned to the field, this time competing for the Canadian men’s team in the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world flag football championship in Duesseldorf, Germany. Dequoy, a 31-year-old safety, retired from the CFL in February after a successful five-season stint with the Montreal Alouettes.
Explaining his retirement decision, Dequoy mentioned that his body could no longer handle the physical demands of a full CFL season, including off-season training, camp, and 18 games. Despite initially being hesitant about flag football, Dequoy eventually decided to give it a try after consulting with friends and doing some research.
Having taken a break from football to co-host a TV show, Dequoy realized his passion for competition was still strong and reached out to coach LaPolice to express his interest in returning to the field. Despite his successful CFL career, Dequoy acknowledged that flag football posed new challenges due to its different rules and playing style.
Canada’s participation in the world championship faced a setback when Nigeria withdrew its teams due to travel visa issues, leading to a revised schedule for the remaining teams. With Olympic qualification at stake, Dequoy emphasized the team’s goal of finishing in the top two or three to secure a spot in the upcoming Olympics.
Reflecting on the opportunity for football to be included in the Olympics, Dequoy expressed his excitement at the prospect, considering it a dream come true to compete at the highest level of the sport on such a prestigious platform.