René Ressejac-Duparc

René Ressejac-Duparc was born on 28 September 1880, lived in Puteaux, and was employed at the Banque de France. He had connections to Loire-Atlantique through his mother (originally from Châteaubriant), as well as a home in Pornic, where he died on 19 April 1941, at the age of 60. Biographer Stéphane Gachet suggested Duparc was in Pornic "perhaps to take refuge during the war".

Duparc remained practically unknown and of uncertain identity for several decades since he was only cited in the database of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as a "medalist for France in football" in 1900, with no first name and no other information published about this Olympic footballer until the December 2023 book "All the French medalists from 1896 to the present".{{cite web |date=1 December 2023 |title=Patrick Ressejac a appris récemment que son grand-père, mort à Pornic, était médaillé aux JO de 1900 |trans-title=Patrick Ressejac recently learned that his grandfather, who died in Pornic, was a medalist at the 1900 Olympic Games |url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/jeux-olympiques/patrick-ressejac-a-appris-recemment-que-son-grand-pere-mort-a-pornic-etait-medaille-aux-jo-de-1900-26aa0114-905d-11ee-8602-1e868188f4e2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231218153441/https://www.ouest-france.fr/jeux-olympiques/patrick-ressejac-a-appris-recemment-que-son-grand-pere-mort-a-pornic-etait-medaille-aux-jo-de-1900-26aa0114-905d-11ee-8602-1e868188f4e2 |archive-date=18 December 2023 |accessdate=18 March 2024 |website=www.ouest-france.fr |language=fr}} The biography in the book was compiled from research by Stéphane Gachet, who investigated unknown French Olympians ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, and who found genealogical records matching the footballer to René Ressejac-Duparc. Gachet then contacted his grandson, Patrick Ressejac-Duparc, who lived in Portugal with his wife, to tell him that his grandfather was an Olympic medalist.

Duparc began his career at US Puteaux; on 28 March 1898, the 17-year-old Duparc played as a forward for a Puteaux team made up of players from both its first and the second team, helping his side to a 12–0 win over the second team of US Parisienne.{{cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/28-mars-1898/4054/5388478/2 |title=Union Sportive de Puteaux (mixte) contre Union Sportive Parisienne (3ºB) |trans-title=Puteaux Sports Union (mixed) against Parisienne Sports Union (3ºB) |website=www.retronews.fr |language=fr |date=28 March 1898 |accessdate=11 November 2024 }}

File:Club français contre Standard AC en 1899.png

Duparc joined Club Français in 1898, at the age of 18, and his mentor was said to be Club Français midfielder Alfred Bloch.{{cite news|newspaper=L'Auto|date=6 December 1900|page=3, column 3|title=Les Sports Athlétiques|language=fr|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46243321/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|accessdate=18 March 2024|archive-date=6 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106185049/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46243321/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|url-status=live}} In the following year, Club Français won the {{ill|Championnat de Paris|fr|lt=1898–99 USFSA Paris championship}}, the top-level division tournament, after defeating Standard AC (3–2) in a play-off match to decide the title on 16 April, and this victory qualified the club to the 1899 USFSA national championship, in which CF withdrew from the final before facing Le Havre AC.{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-prewwi.html#1899 |title=1898-99 season in France |publisher=RSSSF |date=29 August 2024 |access-date=10 November 2024 |archive-date=5 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205152228/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-prewwi.html#1899 |url-status=live }}

On 23 October, Duparc started in the final of the 1899 Coupe Manier, helping his side to a 6–0 win over RC Roubaix.{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/23-octobre-1899/4054/5389432/2 |title=La Coupe Manier |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |date=23 October 1899 |accessdate=10 November 2024 |archive-date=24 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524001450/https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/23-octobre-1899/4054/5389432/2 |url-status=live }} On 29 April 1900, he started in the final of the 1900 Challenge International du Nord against Le Havre AC, scoring his side's second goal to tie the match and force extra-time in an eventual 2–3 loss.{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/30-avril-1900/4054/5389626/3 |title=Le Challenge du Nord – Victoire des Havrais |trans-title=The Challenge of the North – Victory of Le Havre |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=3 |date=30 April 1900 |access-date=10 January 2025 }} He then missed the final of the 1900 USFSA Football Championship on 6 May, which ended in another loss to Le Havre AC (0–1), partly because CF's "forward line was disorganized due to the absence of Duparc".{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/7-mai-1900/4054/5389600/2 |title=Championnat de France – Club Français (1) contre La Havre AC (1) |trans-title=French Championship – Club Français (1) against La Havre AC (1) |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=2 |date=7 May 1900 |access-date=10 January 2025 }}

On 16 October 1900, a match summary in L'Auto wrote that he was a change to the team's midfield, but as "a good player who knows his job", it marked an improvement.{{cite news|newspaper=L'Auto|date=16 October 1900|page=2, column 3|title=Les Sports Athlétiques|language=fr|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46242815/f2.item.zoom|accessdate=18 March 2024|archive-date=19 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319235947/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46242815/f2.item.zoom|url-status=live}} Later that month, Duparc continued in the midfield when the team began competing in the 1900–01 USFSA Paris championship,{{cite news|newspaper=L'Auto|date=26 October 1900|page=2, column 1|title=Les Sports Athlétiques|language=fr|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624291j/f2.image.r=duparc|accessdate=18 March 2024|archive-date=6 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106185053/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624291j/f2.image.r=duparc|url-status=live}}{{cite news|newspaper=L'Auto|date=28 October 1900|page=2, columns 2–3|title=Les Sports Athlétiques|language=fr|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624293c/f2.item.r=duparc.zoom|accessdate=18 March 2024|archive-date=6 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106185051/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624293c/f2.item.r=duparc.zoom|url-status=live}} playing in all but one match (during which his absence, despite replacement, was noted).{{cite news|newspaper=L'Auto|date=12 November 1900|page=3, column 1|title=Les Sports Athlétiques|language=fr|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624308c/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|accessdate=18 March 2024|archive-date=6 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106185042/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624308c/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|url-status=live}} During the tournament, L'Auto noted that Duparc was one of the youngest players on the team and that he showed a lot of promise but was already "a good player, very resistant, very tough". In a match against Standard AC in early December, he was injured in the first half as the match ended in a 1–1 draw, which was sufficient for Standard to secure the title.{{cite news|newspaper=L'Auto|date=10 December 1900|page=3, columns 1–3|title=Les Sports Athlétiques|language=fr|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624336p/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|accessdate=18 March 2024|archive-date=6 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106183528/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624336p/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|url-status=live}}

Duparc was also in the winning Club Français line-up, playing in each match, for the 1900 Coupe Manier, which took place later in December.{{cite news|newspaper=L'Auto|date=14 December 1900|page=3, column 2|title=Les Sports Athlétiques|language=fr|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624340k/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|accessdate=18 March 2024|archive-date=6 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106183524/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624340k/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|url-status=live}}{{cite news|newspaper=L'Auto|date=21 December 1900|page=3, column 1|title=Les Sports Athlétiques|language=fr|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624347g/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|accessdate=18 March 2024|archive-date=6 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106185048/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624347g/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624350z/f3.item.zoom |title=La Coupe Manier |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |date=24 December 1900 |accessdate=18 March 2024 |archive-date=13 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113190101/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624350z/f3.item.zoom |url-status=live }} After winning the Coupe Manier, CF's first (including Duparc) and second teams played international friendlies against Croydon and their reserves.{{cite news|newspaper=L'Auto|date=28 December 1900|page=3, column 3|title=Les Sports Athlétiques|language=fr|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624354m/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|accessdate=18 March 2024|archive-date=19 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319235954/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624354m/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|url-status=live}} Duparc's performance in this match was praised, with his intelligent ball-passing in the first half said to break up Croydon attacks and his "beautiful" passes to the team's forwards in the second half often drawing applause; it ended in a 3–3 draw.{{cite news|newspaper=L'Auto|date=31 December 1900|page=3, columns 3–5|title=Les Sports Athlétiques|language=fr|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624357v/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|accessdate=18 March 2024|archive-date=19 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319235956/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624357v/f3.item.r=duparc.zoom|url-status=live}}

On 6 January 1901, Club Français faced Standard AC again, this time in the preliminary rounds of the 1901 Challenge International du Nord, which ended in a 0–1 loss.{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/challenge-int-nord.html#01 |title=1901 Challenge International du Nord |publisher=RSSSF |date=19 June 2009 |access-date=18 March 2024 |archive-date=19 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319235947/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/challenge-int-nord.html#01 |url-status=live }} With the referee getting lost in the game, the play turned brutal, mostly perpetrated by Standard, who targeted the CF midfielders; Bloch was kicked so hard in the stomach that he had to go off, while Duparc along with Louis Bach and Cuny were "badly hit"; Club Français wrote a letter of complaint to the football association.{{cite news|newspaper=L'Auto|date=7 January 1901|page=3, columns 4–5|title=Les Sports Athlétiques|language=fr|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46243640/f3.item.zoom|accessdate=18 March 2024|archive-date=19 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319235950/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46243640/f3.item.zoom|url-status=live}} Duparc's misfortune continued; when travelling to compete in another match in January 1901, a group called la bande noire burgled him, taking his shoes and bag.{{cite news|newspaper=L'Auto|date=15 January 1901|page=3, column 1|title=Les Sports Athlétiques|language=fr|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624372j/f3.item.zoom|accessdate=18 March 2024|archive-date=19 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319235952/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624372j/f3.item.zoom|url-status=live}} In February 1901, Duparc began playing as a forward again, still with Club Français.{{cite news|newspaper=L'Auto|date=8 February 1901|page=3, column 1|title=Les Sports Athlétiques|language=fr|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624396z/f3.item|accessdate=18 March 2024|archive-date=6 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106183546/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624396z/f3.item|url-status=live}}

On 4 January 1903, Duparc started in the final of the 1902 Coupe Manier at Le Vésinet, helping his side to a 7–0 win over Olympique Lillois.{{cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46247273/f5.item.r=duparc.zoom |title=Coupe Manier - Le Club Français vainqueur dans la finale |trans-title=Manier Cup - The French Club wins in the final |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |date=5 January 1903 |accessdate=10 January 2025 }} Three months later, on 15 March, he started in the final of the 1903 Coupe Dewar against United SC, in which he scored an own goal in an eventual 3–4 loss.{{cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624797r/f7.item.r=dupar.zoom |title=Coupe Dewar finale |trans-title=Coupe Dewar final |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |page=7 |date=16 March 1903 |accessdate=10 January 2025 }}

On 1 April 1907, the 27-year-old Duparc came out of retirement to play for the so-called Vieilles Gloires ("Old Glories"), playing alongside several former fellow CF players, including two of its founders, Charles Bernat and Ernest Weber; they lost 4–1 to the Old Etonians.{{Cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4623361f/f7.item.r=duparc.zoom |title=Les Vieux Etonians battent les Vieilles Gloires, par 4 buts à 1 |trans-title=Old Etonians beats Old Glories, 4 goals to 1 |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |page=7 |date=2 April 1907 |access-date=10 January 2025}}

Duparc was listed as a forward for the USFSA (French amateur) team, composed mostly of Club Français players, at the 1900 Olympic Games.{{cite web |url=https://isoh.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/301.pdf |title=The Other Upton Park – The Forgotten Olympic Champions |website=isoh.org |publisher=International Society of Olympic Historians |pages=29–35 |accessdate=18 March 2024 |archive-date=19 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319235947/https://isoh.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/301.pdf |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.fff.fr/article/12601-paris-1900-en-sport-de-demonstration.html |title=Paris 1900, en sport de démonstration |trans-title=Paris 1900, in demonstration sport |language=fr |website=www.fff.fr |date=10 July 2024 |accessdate=10 November 2024 |archive-date=27 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240727035341/https://www.fff.fr/article/12601-paris-1900-en-sport-de-demonstration.html |url-status=live }} He was not selected for the opening match against Upton Park on 20 September, which ended in a humiliating 0–4 loss, so Duparc was then picked up for the second match three days later, helping his side to a 6–2 victory over Belgium, which was mostly made up of students from the French-speaking Université libre de Bruxelles; the authors of four of these goals are unknown, so Duparc, who started as a forward alongside teammates Georges Garnier and Gaston Peltier, might have scored at least one of them.{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tableso/ol1900f.html |title=Games of the II. Olympiad |publisher=RSSSF |date=12 May 2022 |access-date=18 March 2024 |archive-date=9 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709122416/https://www.rsssf.org/tableso/ol1900f.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.iffhs.de/?28d6edaca29d815685fdcdc3bfcdc0aec605 |title=1900 - Paris |website=www.iffhs.de |accessdate=18 March 2024 |archive-date=22 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222235303/http://www.iffhs.de/?28d6edaca29d815685fdcdc3bfcdc0aec605 |url-status=bot: unknown }} The French team came second and Duparc was thus awarded with a silver medal.

;Club Français

• USFSA Paris Championship:
• Champions (2): 1898–99 and 1899–1900
• USFSA Football Championship:
• Runner-up (2): 1899 and 1900
• Coupe Manier:
• Champions (3): 1899, 1900, and 1902
• Challenge International du Nord:
• Runner-up (1): 1900

;France MNT

• Summer Olympics:
• Silver medal (1): 1900

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20200417200604/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/du/r-duparc-1.html Olympic profile]

{{France Squad 1900 Summer Olympics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ressejac-Duparc, Rene}}

Category:1880 births

Category:1941 deaths

Category:French men's footballers

Category:Olympic silver medalists for France

Category:Olympic footballers for France

Category:Footballers at the 1900 Summer Olympics

Category:Olympic medalists in football

Category:Medalists at the 1900 Summer Olympics

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:Men's association football midfielders