The Ministry of Defence took part in these winter games with 22 ahtletes out of the 88 of the French delegation.

• Corporal Richard JOUVE and Private first class Hugo LAPALUS won the bronze medal in the 4x10 km cross-country skiing relay;

• Sergeant Simon DESTHIEUX and Private first class Fabien Claude won the silver medal in the 4x7.5 km biathlon relay.

Four other athletes, under-contract agents and defence civilians defended their chances at the Paralympic Games.

• Under-contract agent Marie BOCHET, silver medal in Super-G in para alpine skiing;

• Under-contract agent Benjamin DAVIET, double Olympic champion in para cross-country skiing freestyle sprint, standing category and 12 km standing. He also won two silver medals in para cross-country middle distance freestyle skiing and in the Open 4x2,5 km relay;

• Under-contract agent Maxime MONTAGGIONI, Olympic champion in para snowboard banked slalom.

More than 50 athletes from the Army of Champions were selected to take part in the French delegation, an unprecedented level of participation.

29 of them took part in the Olympic Games, winning a third of France's medals (13 out of 33):

• Sergeant Manon BRUNET, bronze medallist in women’s individual sabre and silver medallist in the team event;

• Warrant officer Clarisse AGBEGNENOU, double Olympic judo champion including one gold medal with the mixed team with Private first class Margaux PINOT;

• Seaman Hugo BOUCHERON, Olympic champion in double sculls;

• Private first class Pauline RANVIER and Private Ysaora THIBUS, silver medallists in team foil;

• Corporal Dorian CONINX, bronze medallist in the mixed triathlon relay;

• Petty officer 2^nd class Charline PICON, silver medallist in windsurfing on RS X;

• Seaman Thomas GOYARD, silver medallist in windsurfing on RS X;

• Corporal Enzo LEFORT and Sergeant Maxime PAUTY, Olympic team foil champions;

• Staff Sergeant Jean QUIQUAMPOIX, Olympic champion in 25-metre speed pistol shooting;

• Private first class Sébastien VIGIER, bronze medallist in track team sprint;

• Seaman (reservist) Camille LECOINTRE, bronze medallist in sailing in double in the 470 dinghy category.

20 athletes from the Army of Champions took part in the Paralympic Games, winning 19 individual and team medals, including six in gold:

• Under-contract agent Mandy FRANCOIS-ELIE, bronze medallist in para-athletics in the women’s 200m in the T37 category;

• Under-contract agent Erika SAUZEAU, bronze medallist in mixed para-rowing in the PR3 Mix 4+ category;

• Under-contract agent Margot BOULET, wounded soldier, bronze medallist in mixed para-rowing in the PR3 Mix 4+ category;

• Under-contract agent Lucas MAZUR, Olympic champion in para-badminton in the SL4 category and silver medallist in mixed doubles para badminton in the SL3-SU5 category;

• Under-contract agent Nélia BARBOSA, silver medallist in para canoeing sprint 200m in the KL3 category;

• Under-contract agent Rémy BOULLE, wounded soldier, bronze medallist in para-canoeing, 200m sprint, in the KL1 category;

• Under-contract agent Marie PATOUILLET, double bronze medallist in para-cycling, road race in category C4-5 and track race, 3000m individual pursuit in category C5;

• Under-contract agent Raphaël BEAUGILLET and his guide, Corporal François PERVIS, bronze medallists in para-cycling track race;

• Under-contract agent Dorian FOULON, Olympic champion in para-cycling, track race, 4000m individual pursuit in the C5 category;

• Under-contract agent Alexandre LEAUTE won four medals in para-cycling: a gold medal in the C2 category 3000m individual pursuit track race, a silver medal in the C1-3 category 1000m time trial track race, two bronze medals in the C1-3 category road race and C2 category time trial road race;

• Under-contract agent Florent MARAIS, bronze medallist in para-swimming, 100m backstroke in the S10 category;

• Under-contract agent Nicolas PEIFER, Olympic champion in men's double wheelchair tennis;

• Under-contract agent Matéo BOHEAS, silver medallist in men’s single para-table tennis category C10;

• Under-contract agent Fabien LAMIRAULT, Olympic champion in men’s single para-table tennis category 2.

18 athletes from the Army of Champions represented France at the 2018 Olympic Games, out of the 107 selected athletes. They won half of France's medals (7 out of 15):

• Lieutenant Martin FOURCADE, Olympic champion in biathlon (pursuit and mass start). He also became Olympic champion in the mixed relay with Corporals Simon DESTHIEUX and Anaïs BESCOND.

• Sergeant Pierre VAULTIER, Olympic snowboard cross champion;

• Corporal Anaïs BESCOND, bronze medallist in biathlon (pursuit and women’s relay);

• Private first class Richard JOUVE, bronze medallist in the free sprint relay in cross-country skiing;

For the first time ever, three athletes from the Army of Champions took part in the Winter Paralympic Games. They won almost half of France's medals and all the gold medals.

• Under-contract agent Marie BOCHET, quadruple Olympic skiing champion: downhill, Super G, giant slalom and slalom;

• The contract agent Benjamin DAVIET, Olympic champion of the 7.5 and 12.5 km biathlon races. He also won two silver medals in15km (biathlon) and 20 km freestyle (cross-country skiing).

At the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016

37 top-level defence athletes were selected for the Olympic Games among the 396 athletes of the French delegation. They won a third of the French medals (12 out of 45), including a third of the gold medals.

• Lieutenant-Colonel Thibaut VALLETTE, Olympic champion in team eventing.

• Gendarme Daniel JERENT, Olympic champion in épée (team event);

• Seaman Charline PICON, Olympic champion in windsurfing on RS:X;

• Sergeant Florent MANAUDOU, silver medallist in the 4x100 m freestyle swimming relay and 50 m freestyle swimming;

• Warrant Officer Clarisse AGBEGNENOU, silver medallist in judo in the under 63kg category;

• Private first class Audrey TCHEUMEO was silver medallist in judo in the under 78kg category;

• Airman Enzo LEFORT, silver medallist in foil (team event);

• Gendarme Jean QUIQUAMPOIX, silver medallist in the 25 m speed pistol shooting event;

• Sergeant Elodie CLOUVEL, silver medallist in modern pentathlon;

• Privates first class Michaël D'ALMEIDA and François PERVIS, bronze medallists in the track cycling team sprint;

• Seaman Camille LECOINTRE and Ordinary Seaman Hélène DEFRANCE, bronze medallist in the 470 dinghy sailing event.

14 disabled athletes from the Army of Champions took part in the Paralympic Games, representing 11% of the French delegation. Out of a total of 28 French medals, they won 6.

• Under-contract agent Yannick IFEBE, Olympic champion in épée (team event);

• Under-contract agents Stéphane HOUDET and Nicolas PEIFER, Olympic champions in wheelchair tennis;

• Under-contract agent Cindy MOREAU, bronze medallist in KL3 canoeing sprint;

• Under-contract agent Elodie LORANDI, bronze medallist in 100 m and 400 m in freestyle swimming;

• Under-contract agent Gwladys LEMOUSSU, bronze medallist in triathlon.

At the Winter Olympics in Sotchi in 2014

22 top-level athletes from the French Ministry of Defence took part in the 118-athlete strong French Olympic team. They won almost half of the French delegation's medals (6 out of 15).

• Sergeant Martin FOURCADE, Olympic champion in biathlon (men's pursuit and individual race). He also won the silver medal of the mass start;

• Private first class Pierre VAULTIER, Olympic champion in snowboard cross;

• Corporal Robin DUVILLARD and Private 1st class Ivan PERILLAT-BOITEUX, bronze medallists in the 4x10km cross-country skiing relay;

• Corporal Steve MISSILIER, silver medallist in giant slalom in alpine skiing.

At the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London in 2012

34 top-level defence athletes took part in the 2012 Olympic Games, winning 7 of the French delegation's 35 medals (4 in gold, one in silver and two in bronze).

• Private first class Florent MANAUDOU, Olympic champion in 50 m freestyle swimming;

• Under-contract agent Julie BRESSET, Olympic champion in cross-country cycling;

• Under-contract agent Emilie FER, Olympic champion in canoeing;

• Under-contract agent Michaël D’ALMEIDA, silver medallist in cycling, in the team sprint event;

• Under-contract agent Audrey TCHEUMEO, bronze medallist in judo in the under 78 kg category;

• Seaman Jonathan LOBERT, bronze medallist in sailing, finn dinghy.

5 defence para-athletes took part in the Paralympic Games, winning 3 of France's 45 medals.

• Under-contract agent Cédric FEVRE-CHEVALIER, Olympic champion in rifle shooting - 10 m prone.

• Under-contract agents Stéphane HOUDER and Michaël JEREMIASZ, bronze medallists in men's wheelchair tennis (doubles).

• Under-contract agent Stéphane HOUDET, silver medallist in wheelchair tennis.

At the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010

21 skiers from the French military team represented defence, winning 4 of the 11 medals won by the French delegation.

• Corporal Vincent JAY, Olympic champion of the 10 km sprint in biathlon and bronze medallist in the 10 km pursuit.

• Lieutenant Martin FOURCADE, the silver medallist in the 15 km (biathlon).

• Staff Sergeant Sandrine BAILLY, silver medallist in the 4x7.5 km relay (biathlon).

At the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008

28 top-level defence athletes competed in the Olympic Games as part of the 315 athlete-strong French delegation. They won 13 medals, a third of all French medals. Only one defence athlete took part in the Paralympic Games and he won a medal.

• Gendarme Alain BERNARD, Olympic in 100 m freestyle swimming. He was also silver medallist of the 4x100 m freestyle relay and bronze medallist in 50 m freestyle swimming;

• Cadet Hugues DUBOSCQ, bronze medallist in 100 m and 200 m breaststroke swimming;

• Under-contract agent Fabrice JEANNET, silver medallist in individual épéé and olympic champion in the team event;

• Private first class Alexis VASTINE, bronze medallist in boxing in the under 64 kg category;

• Private first class Vencelas DABAYA-TIENTCHEU was silver medallist in weightlifting in the under 69 kg category ;

• The volunteer gendrarme Stéphanie POSSAMAI, bronze medallist in judo in the under 78 kg category;

• Gendarme Anthony TERRAS, bronze medallist in skeet shooting.

• Sergeant Virginie ARNOLD, bronze medallist in archery (team event);

• Sergeant Djamel MASTOURI, bronze medallist in the 800 m para-athletics.

At the Winter Olympics in Turin in 2006

The French military skiing team brought home more than half of France's medals. Defence's top athletes won two gold medals in the individual races in biathlon, two bronze medals in the team races in biathlon and a silver medal in cross-country skiing.

• Corporal Florence BAVEREL-ROBERT, Olympic champion in the 7.5 km sprint of the sprint biathlon.

• Sergeant Vincent DEFRASNE, Olympic champion in the 12.5 km biathlon pursuit;

• Sergeant Raphaël POIREE and Sergeant Vincent DEFRASNE, bronze medallist in the 4x7.5 km team biathlon relay;

• Corporal Roddy DARRAGON, silver medallist in cross-country sprint skiing;

• Corporal Florence BAVEREL-ROBERT, Sergeant Sandrine BAILLY and Corporal Delphyne PERETTO, bronze medallist of the 4x6 km biathlon relay.

At the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004

12 top-level defence athletes were among the 316 athletes in the French delegation, winning 15% of France's medals, including two Olympic titles.

• Frédérique JOSSINET won France's first medal of these Olympic Games, a silver one in judo in the under 48kg category;

• Under-contract agents Jérôme and Fabrice JEANNET, Olympic champions with the epee team;

• Cadet Sylviane FELIX, semi-finalist in the individual 200m race and bronze medallist in the women's 4x100 relay with Véronique MANG, Muriel HURTIS and Christine Arron ;

• Sergeant Major Didier COURREGES, Olympic champion with the eventing team