French Football’s Sleeping HEro

On the 17th March 1982, retired footballer Jean-Pierre Adams was admitted to the Édouard Herriot hospital in Lyon to undergo routine surgery for a damaged tendon in his knee. As part of the procedure, Adams was administered anaesthetic that was meant to knock him out for a few hours, however more than 39 years later he has yet to regain consciousness. In what is a tragic tale of neglect and oversight - Jean-Pierre’s wife, Bernadette - transformed the story into one of love as she has continued to care for her husband nearly four decades on. 

Adams was born on the 10th March 1948 in Dakar, Senegal to a devout Catholic family. As such, he attended a religious pilgrimage with his Grandmother to Montargis in North-Central France. In hope of a better life, ten year old Jean-Pierre was adopted by the Jourdain family in Loiret, where he began to build relationships and break down pre-existing racial barriers as he became popular with his peers at College Saint-Louis, who would affectionately nickname Adams the ‘White Wolf’.

His footballing education had remained dormant during his early years, however after dropping out of school to work in a factory he began playing for USM Montagris. Despite his physical prowess, Adams would soon succumb to the first of many injuries during his footballing career, suffering a serious knee injury that could have potentially halted his career before it had even begun. Following rehabilitation, Adams moved to L’Entente Bagneaux-Fontainebleau-Nemours (EBFN) and enjoyed initial success before tragedy struck again. Still only 19 years-of-age, Jean-Pierre was involved in a major car crash and, though he would escape with only minor cuts and bruises, his close friend Guy Beaudot lost his life. Understandably, Adams’ avidity for the game subsided and it would not be reignited until he played for France’s armed forces squad during military service in 1967.

Following a string of impressive performances for the military squad, Adams was recommended to professional side Nîmes Olympique and was subsequently offered a trial game in Rouen by trainer Kader Firoud in 1970. After dazzling during his trial game, Jean-Pierre was offered his first professional contract and made his debut for the Division 1 club in September 1970, playing in the No.4 role against Stade de Reims. The 22-year-old was instrumental in one of the best Nîmes sides in history as Les Crocodiles secured European qualification for the first time. However, despite a second-placed finish behind Olympique Marseille in his second season, his third season with Nîmes would be a disappointment. Thus, Adams eventually moved to OGC Nice in 1973 as Les Aiglons looked to reestablish themselves at the pinnacle of French football. The club from the French riviera would consolidate that notion during Adams’ first season, with an emphatic 3-2 victory over FC Barcelona in the UEFA Cup. 

His exploits at club level would gain the attention of France manager Georges Boulogne, who fittingly gave Adams his first international cap against an African XI in an unofficial exhibition game on the 15th June 1972. His first competitive cap came in a 1-0 victory over the Soviet Union during the 1974 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and he became a mainstay in France’s defence, forming a formidable centre-back partnership with Marius Trésor. Alas, injuries persisted and Jean-Pierre’s last international cap came at the age of 28 in a friendly against Denmark on the 1st September 1976. Nevertheless despite his age and prior injuries, Paris Saint Germain president Daniel Hechter was enchanted by Adams - who was now 29 and in the twilight of his career - resulting in him bringing the defender to the Parc Des Princes. His time in the French capital was short lived, however, spending just two seasons with the club before being released from his contract. A brief stint with Division 2 side Mulhouse followed, but Adams decided to retire from professional football and step into coaching. 

Dijon was the destination of choice for Jean-Pierre and the 33-year-old embarked on a week-long training course to help kickstart his coaching career. However, tragedy struck once again on the third day of his course as he damaged the tendon in his knee which subsequently required surgery. On the 17th March 1982 - a week after his 34th birthday - Jean-Pierre Adams was given a near fatal dose of anaesthetic, causing a bronchospasm that starved his brain of oxygen and he slipped into a coma. 

39 years later and now aged 73, he still hasn’t woken up.

Adams was moved to Chalon in November 1982 but continued to be neglected by doctors as bedsores caused an infection that reached his bones. After being told by the hospital that they could no longer look after her husband, Bernadette took sole responsibility of Jean-Pierre and she has continued to care for him ever since. A purpose built house was erected by Bernadette, which she aptly named Mas du bel Athlete Dormant - The House of the Beautiful Sleeping Athlete. However, a loan was difficult to come by as she had fallen into financial difficulty with two sons - Laurent and Frédéric - to look after. Nîmes and PSG both offered 15,000 Francs, meanwhile the French Football Federation gave Bernadette 6,000 Francs per week after an initial donation of 25,000 Francs in December 1982 to help build the house. 

Although he is able to perform some cognitive functions, such as hearing and smelling, Jean-Pierre remains in a vegetative state according to Bernadette, who continues to feed, clothe and wash her husband. Her strength and determination in part stems from the racial discrimination that they both experienced following their marriage in 1969, with her own parents failing accept their relationship due to his African heritage. Bernadette has not been able to take any holidays due to the hospital being unable to commit staff for prolonged periods of time but, despite her suffering, she refuses to consider euthanasia. "It's unthinkable!" she said. "He cannot speak. And it's not for me to decide for him."

Another harrowing facet is the lack of justice and accountability for the contretemps that have befallen Jean-Pierre and Bernadette. The courts were sluggish in their tribunals, which were led by Pierre Huth, who was Adams’ former doctor at PSG. It took seven years before the Seventh Chamber of Correctional Tribunal in Lyon found the anaesthetist and trainee doctor guilty of involuntary injury. Jean-Pierre’s family then had to wait another four years before a decision on reparations could be made. In the mid 1990s, both the anaesthetist and trainee Doctor were given one-month suspended sentences and fines that translated to a paltry $815. 

"Given it was not a vital operation, that the hospital was on strike, they were missing doctors and (the anesthetist) was looking after eight patients, in two different rooms, someone should have called me to say they were going to delay the operation," says Bernadette, who is understandably still outraged at the neglect her husband suffered during his stay at the Édouard Herriot hospital and the subsequent sanctions that were imposed on the guilty parties. 

Despite Bernadette’s best endeavours the world has largely forgotten about Jean-Pierre Adams, who the public fail to take cognisance of despite him pioneering a generation of African-French footballers. His life inspired many, including the likes of Lilian Thuram, and has continued to be replicated over recent generations. Although unable to consciously acknowledge his achievements, he has quietly paved the way for so many who have come from similar humble beginnings. Despite his inconspicuous legacy, Jean-Pierre is unreservedly the sleeping hero of French football.

Article by Charlie Adey