Is Didier Gailhaguet's place at the head of the French Ice Sports Federation (FFSG) in danger? The man in the crosshairs of the Minister of Sports, Roxana Maracineanu, since the revelations on sexual violence in skating meets, at the request of the presidency of this body, a federal council at the headquarters of the FFSG on Saturday. And several of his opponents intend to force him to resign.
Officially, it is only an “information meeting on the current situation”, explain to us several participants, convened Wednesday. In fact, the 31 members of this body have the power to force him to leave his post. For this, 25% of them must request that the vote be put on the agenda. Then, that two thirds of this assembly vote the dismissal of Didier Gailhaguet, in power since 1998 with the exception of a cut from 2004 to 2007. "It is not on the agenda but everything is open, there will be an explanation ”, explains to AFP his lawyer, Me Guy Paris.
"If we don't get him to leave, I quit"
"We will do everything to convince him to resign," said one of his opponents. You have to make him understand that it is no longer reasonable to stay in this tense context. "Didier has done great things for this sport, but there it becomes untenable," said one of the 31. If he does not resign, I ask for a vote. And if we don't get her to vote, I quit. "
But will the wave of distrust be enough? According to our information, the president of the federal council Maryvonne Del Torchio called the members who will not be able to move to ask them their positioning in the event of a vote. “Whether you are pro or anti-Gailhaguet, you have to think of our athletes and our volunteers,” says Ludovic Le Guennec, president of the club of Caen (Calvados) and member of the board. It has to stop. I think that a sufficient majority will rise for his departure. "
"I hope they are sure of their shot, slip one of his supporters. Because if he stays, Didier will not miss them after… ”But the president of the FFSG himself has changed his speech in recent days. If he explained Tuesday that he would not make any decision on his future before the end of the inspection carried out by the Ministry of Sports, he announced Thursday that he would leave if it was "the only way to unblock the situation" . The beginnings of a formal withdrawal on Saturday?