When 21-year-old gymnast Djenna Laroui stepped into her first senior World Cup in 2023, she did not take long to make her mark as she won a silver medal. And soon after, she earned a place as a reliable French bars specialist, but now that same name is being pulled into a very different spotlight as the French public called her a “traitor” and “hypocrite” and posted comments like “we’ve never seen anyone without dignity to this extent” after she decided to switch nationality. Laroui now gears up to hold these fans accountable.
On Saturday, Laroui confirmed she would leave the French national team after nearly a decade and represent Algeria instead. And this announcement triggered a strong reaction across social media and parts of the gymnastics community. In response, on Monday, Laroui and her legal team confirmed they had contacted a Paris law firm and intend to take legal action against individuals responsible for harassment and defamatory messages.
Her lawyer, Nabil Boudi, said the situation had gone far beyond sport. “Since her last decision, Ms. Laroui has been subjected to a large number of messages, posts, and comments of a demeaning, defamatory, and frightening nature on social media. These repeated and widespread actions go beyond the scope of sports criticism and seriously affect her dignity.”
He added, “Jana Laroui has tasked me with pursuing all the individuals who participated in this hate campaign. My client, a high-level athlete, assures that her decision was personal.”
But at the center of the backlash is a simple but sensitive question: why would an athlete who has already found success with France choose to leave?
After all, Laroui has built a strong resume that includes a team all-around bronze medal at the 2025 European Championships in Leipzig. Two years earlier, she served as an alternate for the French squad when France won team bronze at the World Championships in Antwerp. She also captured team silver at the 2022 Mediterranean Games and an individual uneven bars silver with a 12.900 score at the 2023 FIG World Challenge Cup in Varna, Bulgaria.
In her own words, the decision was not sudden. ” This was not a decision I took lightly. The idea had always been lingering in the back of my mind. I knew that, one day, I would switch my sporting nationality I simply didn’t know when. Today, that opportunity has presented itself, and I have decided to seize it.”
Born in Lyon, France, Laroui also holds Algerian eligibility through her family background, with parents of Algerian origin. And this allows her to choose between both nations under international rules.
Later, in the Instagram post, she also reflected on her time representing France with gratitude. “It has been an immense honor to represent France throughout all these years…I am proud of the path I have traveled, and I have no regrets. Today, I am making this choice out of conviction. I believe that Algeria aligns more closely with the vision I wish to build for the remainder of my career.”
Alongside that, she thanked the coaches and staff who supported her journey, including Eric and Monique from Pôle France in Saint-Étienne, the INSEP coaching team, and her physiotherapist.
She added, “Today, I am making this choice in full alignment with my true self. I know that my loved ones support me and believe in my project. I will do my very best to make the Algerian people proud.”
But it seems the decision to change the nationality may not have been driven by mindset alone, but also influenced by a former French representative who changed the direction of Algerian gymnastics.
How Kaylia Nemour influenced Djenna Laroui’s decision
Some Algerian media outlets have suggested that Olympic champion Kaylia Nemour may have played a role in Djenna Laroui’s decision to switch and represent Algeria. Nemour, born to a French mother and Algerian father, started her career in France before changing nationality in 2022 after a long dispute with the French gymnastics federation over training conditions and medical clearance.
That move later helped her career completely as he won the Olympic gold on uneven bars at Paris 2024. Since that breakthrough, Nemour has become the face of Algerian gymnastics.
However, InsideTheGames has suggested that her presence within the national setup may have helped attract other athletes. In that narrative, Laroui is seen as a rising gymnast, considering especially with the build-up toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. But these claims remain speculative and have not been confirmed by either athlete.
What is evident, though, is that the women’s gymnastics program in Algeria remains at an institutional level. The nation has never been able to enter a full women’s team in artistic gymnastics into the Olympics. Its early steps included Farah Boufadene, who became the first Algerian female artistic gymnast to compete at the Olympics in 2016. But the real turning point came at Paris 2024. Nemour’s gold on uneven bars did more than win a medal.
It brought the first Olympic medal in gymnastics to Algeria, the first Olympic gymnastics medal to Africa, and the first gold in gymnastics to the country. It also changed the perception of Algeria in the sport, from being an underdog to being a promising competitor. With Djenna Laroui now a member of Algeria, it is time to discuss whether she can be included in this new wave of Los Angeles 2028.
