As one of rugby union's greatest players, Dupont's participation in a home Olympics is a significant win for both the national team and the event organisers. His decision to miss the Six Nations paid off, helping France secure two wins in the World Rugby Sevens Series, including a victory in the Madrid finals, their first in 19 years. During this period, he also led his club Toulouse to Top 14 and Champions Cup glory in the 15-a-side game.

"For any sports fan, the Olympics are still mythical, the Holy Grail of sport. Hosting this event in France will be an incredible celebration, and to be in with a chance of winning an Olympic medal is a highly motivating challenge," Dupont said.

His absence from the Six Nations was controversial, especially after France's quarter-final exit from the Rugby World Cup on home soil. However, his Olympic ambitions had been long planned. "Antoine’s idea of playing in the Olympics has been in the works for two years," said France coach Fabien Galthie in defence of the 2021 World Player of the Year.

Rugby Sevens is often considered the lesser cousin of 15-a-side rugby, but Dupont disagrees. "It's just as enjoyable, and when you see how difficult it is to play these matches, these tournaments with the physical wear and tear of the third day, the emotions are heightened, too," he said. "Sharing that with a smaller squad is also enjoyable. There are no cliques, everyone shares the emotions together and these are very strong moments."

Dupont's involvement has significantly boosted the team's morale. "Antoine is the best player in the world, we think! When he's on the pitch we have a lot of confidence," said France Sevens captain Paulin Riva. Dupont was crowned men's Rookie of the Year after leading the team to a championship-winning final over Argentina in Madrid.

"We already had the goal of winning, but to do so and to show that we’re capable of doing it twice by beating the best teams on the circuit, that shows we’re capable of victory," Dupont said. Looking ahead to the Olympics at the Stade de France, he added, "It will be a huge tournament, but we'll try to get that trophy in July."

France sevens coach Jerome Daret had no doubts about Dupont's successful transition to Sevens. "When you see the statistics from Antoine Dupont at last year's World Cup, he is the player who made the most offloads, with a total of 10. He also has the ability to change pace and break that we are looking for. He has a great defense and can catch players 50 centimetres from the line, which is something we expect a lot in rugby sevens."

Dupont himself said his transition was merely a question of experience. "Even if I have little experience in rugby sevens, I have experienced complicated 15-a-side matches, very close ends of matches where we really had to come back to score or hold it. These moments are very useful for not panicking, respecting our principles, our group, and individual playing patterns," he said.

World Rugby boss Alan Gilpin emphasised Dupont's impact on the sport. "The Dupont impact is incredible. It's provided a profile that we need to keep building."

Dupont will make his Olympic debut in Pool C action against the United States and Uruguay on 24 July. There is a third and final pool game against Fiji, followed by the quarter-finals a day later. The semi-finals and final are scheduled for 27 July. As Dupont leads the French charge, the world will be watching, anticipating a spectacular showcase of rugby excellence and the potential crowning of new Olympic champions.