In office since 2020, Nathalie Péchalat was not re-elected as president of the Ice Sports Federation (FFSG).
This Saturday, the former European ice dancing champion was beaten by Gwenaëlle Noury, who won 52.8% of the vote.
A result that the outgoing immediately deplored, notably regretting the remote control of her competitor by the former president of the FFSG Didier Gailhaguet, forced to resign two years ago for having covered a coach implicated for rape and assault sexual.
Read alsoSkating: Nathalie Péchalat beaten by Gwenaëlle Noury for the presidency of the French Federation
“We knew that the election was going to be complicated, one way or the other, reacted Péchalat to RMC Sport, a few moments after the result.
I find this humiliating and disrespectful, given the work we have done collectively over the past two years.
During her tenure, she had worked in particular to support the "liberation of victims' speech and the fight against sexual violence", which was particularly welcomed by the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra on the announcement of his defeat.
An "interstellar shame"
Above all, it is Gailhaguet's return to business that seems to worry a lot at the FFSG, although it is Noury who officially won the election.
“It was he who led the campaign and who made his program, slice Péchalat.
I can't tell you otherwise.
Afterwards, what place will he have, in the shadows or on the front of the stage, I don't know… Even if he is only a ghost, it is an interstellar disgrace for sports of ice.
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Gwenaëlle Gigarel-Noury won and will carry the trajectory of the @ffsportsdeglace for which I wish her every success.
The fight for the freedom of speech for victims and the fight against sexual violence, driven by @NPechalatOff, must be continued https://t.co/cbP4F2iPd0
– Amélie Oudéa-Castéra (@AOC1978) June 25, 2022
In recent days, a petition had been launched to form a "front of refusal" against the former president and "ex-gravedigger" and some presidents would have welcomed the result of the election "in tears".
For his part, Gailhaguet has always defended himself from any return, even though he is ineligible for the presidency due to the limitation of the number of mandates.
But he could be appointed to a position within the FFSG.
According to Péchalat, there will in any case be no appeal or new vote.
“We are in a democracy, I accept the result”, concluded the fallen.