Doctor Philippe Boisse

Doctor Philippe Boisse, radiologist, born March 18, 1955 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, is a French fencer, practicing épée. Married to Patricia with two children.

He was a double Olympic champion, team champion at the 1980 Games in Moscow and individual champion at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles where he also won team silver.
Individual World Champion in 1985 and two Team World Championships in 1982 and 1983. Also Individual Champion of France in épée.

Youth and Sports Gold Medal, Knight in the Order of Merit and Knight of the Legion of Honour.
He is currently President of the Versailles Fencing League. He is the father of Érik Boisse, also Olympic team champion at the 2004 Games in Athens.

As a student he became Dutch youth champion in draughts and participated twice in the Dutch senior championship finals. His academic career intervened, but his Africanist experience brought him back in the draughts administration through his friendship with the legendary Piet Roozenburg, former world champion, and then president of the FMJD. In 1992 he became president of the World Draughts Federation himself, serving till 2003. During this period he co-initiated the IMSA with his colleagues from chess and bridge. For the next four years he was executive vice-president of the CAJD, the African Draughts Confederation, before taking his farewell from draughts administration in 2007. For his services he was awarded with the title ‘président d’honneur’ (president for life). He is still an active player in his residence, Wageningen. He has co-published three books on draughts.
His administrative experience extends beyond draughts into a range academic and ecclesiastical leadership positions, during the whole span of his professional and sportive career. He considers his lifelong relationship with the continent of Africa, the Africans and with African players, as his springboard into the world of mind sports, since draughts is one intellectual sport where Africans excel at.