Former CFL player Marc-Antoine Dequoy, who retired six months ago, has returned to the field to compete in the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world flag football championship in Duesseldorf, Germany. Dequoy, a 31-year-old safety, left the Montreal Alouettes after five seasons due to physical limitations preventing him from committing to a full CFL season.

Initially hesitant about transitioning to flag football, Dequoy eventually decided to give it a try after discussing it with friends and doing some research. Despite taking a break from football to co-host a television show from March to May, Dequoy felt a void and reached out to Canadian head coach Paul LaPolice to express his interest in returning to the sport.

Having been a CFL all-star and winning the Grey Cup in 2023, Dequoy found flag football to be a new and challenging experience due to its different rules and gameplay on a smaller field. Adjusting his playing style to avoid contact and focusing on grabbing opponents’ flags were some of the key challenges he faced.

In a recent development, Nigeria withdrew its men’s and women’s teams from the championship due to travel visa issues, resulting in Canada playing fewer preliminary-round games. Despite this, Canada remains focused on securing a top finish to qualify for the Olympics. Dequoy emphasized the importance of aiming for a top-two or top-three finish to secure a spot at the upcoming Olympics in Los Angeles.

While the world championship serves as an Olympic qualifying event, failing to qualify in Germany would mean participating in future competitions to secure a spot at the Olympics. Dequoy expressed his excitement about the prospect of football becoming an Olympic sport, describing it as a dream come true and a testament to the sport’s growth and recognition at the international level.