Marc-Antoine Dequoy, who retired from the CFL six months ago, has returned to competitive football. The 31-year-old safety is currently in Duesseldorf, Germany, with the Canadian men’s team for the IFAF world flag football championship. Dequoy ended his CFL career in February after five seasons with the Montreal Alouettes due to physical limitations that prevented him from committing to a full season.
Initially hesitant about flag football, Dequoy was approached by Canadian head coach Paul LaPolice soon after his retirement. After some consideration and research, Dequoy decided to give it a try and found enjoyment and competitiveness in the sport. Despite taking a break to co-host a television show from March to May, Dequoy felt a void without the competition of football and reconnected with flag football.
Having been a CFL all-star twice and winning a Grey Cup in 2023, Dequoy faced new challenges in flag football, including adjusting to the different rules and gameplay on a smaller field with non-contact defensive rules. Adapting to the flag-pulling technique proved to be a learning curve for Dequoy, along with grasping the nuances of the game’s rules.
In a recent turn of events, Nigeria withdrew its teams from the championship due to visa issues, resulting in schedule adjustments for Canada, Austria, and Japan in the preliminary rounds. Despite the changes, the goal for teams remains securing Olympic berths, with the top finishers in Germany earning qualification. Dequoy emphasized the significance of the championship as a pathway to the Olympics and expressed his excitement at the prospect of football being represented at the highest level.
While the world championship serves as a primary Olympic qualifier, not securing a spot in Germany would necessitate further qualification through subsequent events. Dequoy acknowledged the Olympics as a pinnacle in sports and sees the potential for football to achieve that status with its inclusion in the Games.