Born in
Paris in 1926, Cottard grew up playing basketball, table tennis, and track. He practiced athletics with Gilbert Omnès and boxing with Roger Sauvignac. He performed his military service in
French Tunisia in 1945 at the end of
World War II, where an uncle taught him fencing. He entered Fort Carré in 1946 and became a fencing master three years later. He began teaching at
Cambridge University in 1952 and at
Racing Club de France from 1953 to 1972. Cottard was the French military champion of fencing in 1951 and won the French fencing championship in 1951, 1954, 1958, and 1960. He then coached the French National Fencing Team from 1956 to 1972, leading the team to 12 gold, 13 silver, and 23 bronze medals at various
Olympic Games and
World Fencing Championships. He was constantly reelected to the French Fencing Federation from 1988 until his death and helped collaborate with the French Federation of Adapted Sport. Jean Cottard died in
Antibes on 1 December 2020 at the age of 94. ==Decorations==