Ten days after the announcement of his candidacy for the presidency of the FFSG (don t President Didier Gailhaguet was pushed to resign) on March 14, Nathalie Péchalat, 36, said Saturday afternoon in Montrouge (Hauts -de-Seine) the outlines of his project.
Since then, two other contenders (former judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne and the president of Angers Damien Boyer-Gibaud) have declared themselves. The former champion, who claims the support of coaches, judges or presidents of all stripes and especially the charismatic duo Papadakis-Cizeron has a plan in four axes: sports and performance at all levels and in all ice sports , sports ethics and integrity with a focus on the fight against violence, the restoration of the image of the federation (search for sponsors and communication) and the restructuring of bodies.
"Gwendal Peizerat asked me for several key positions"
But for her, there is no question of making a clean sweep of the past, as wished by ex-skaters (Philippe Candeloro, Gwendal Peizerat, Sarah Abitbol), engaged in a collective that wrote her an open letter.
“Two weeks ago, I was invited to one of the meetings of this collective, created in 2014 while I was still active and based in the USA, explains the double European champion. I learned of their vision of destroying the federation to rebuild. I told them that we did not have the same point of view and the sole criterion of being a former champion is not enough. We are at mid-term, there are rules, statutes, and we cannot do anything. Making a clean sweep two years from the Beijing Games seems to me impractical. But if they think their idea is the best thing to do, they have to apply. This is democracy. "
Some may put their person before their convictions. "Gwendal Peizerat called me at the announcement to ask me for several key positions as vice-president or general secretary," she reveals. I replied that I did not want him to hold a position if I was elected because we do not share the same vision. "
"Breaking the gap and opening up to the outside world"
Change yes, revolution no. "Half of the seats on the executive office are now vacant as well as two positions on the Council," says Péchalat, who asked an ex-short-track athlete, Stéphanie Bouvier, to be its vice-president. So there will necessarily be renewal. Some will have to leave because they have too close links with Gailhaguet. Regarding DTN ( Editor's note: Katia Krier ), it will be necessary to see in collaboration with the ministry because they are state executives. We must restructure in depth, but I think there are competent people to identify. Do not cut heads without having taken the time to know if we were compatible ... In addition, I would like to appoint an operational manager who comes from another sport. It is necessary to break the space and open up to the outside world. "
"Reassure parents without becoming paranoid"
The former partner of Fabian Bourzat on the ice has returned to his membership of the bodies of the French Volants, the club of Gilles Beyer, suspected of rape and sexual abuse. "I have been part of it since 2012," she explains. I was involved in various projects and I even thought of resigning because I was not invested enough. When the scandal exploded, I told myself that I would be more useful from the inside. To resign would have been like leaving by washing your hands. "
If she takes over the presidency next month, Péchalat will have to restore largely waned confidence. "We are going to set up agreements with 18 associations," she concludes. What happened and a good thing because before we didn't talk about it. Today, the testimonies make the sport of tomorrow grow, as a mother it reassures me. We will be able to quickly carry out strong actions. The goal is to reassure parents without becoming paranoid. Things are moving… ”