Federation bank card used improperly, threats, lack of transparency of contracts, remuneration of sportsmen outside the nails: the management of the French Federation of Ice Sports (FFSG) by Didier Gailhaguet is the subject of a report of damning inspection released on Saturday. The facts were reported to justice by the FFSG.
Former omnipotent president of the federation (1998-2004/2007-2020), Didier Gailhaguet has officially not been in charge for three years, since he was forced to resign for having covered up a coach implicated in rape and sexual assaults. But its management will perhaps now go through the justice box after the damning report of the general inspection of education, sport and research (IGESR).
“The mission establishes the many shortcomings that marked the governance of the federation before 2020, some of which may be criminal”summarized the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, in a tweet. Ces “shortcomings” were reported to the public prosecutor.
Confirmation of suspicions of influence in the presidency
This inspection had been decided in the wake of the election of the current president of the FFSG, Gwenaëlle Noury in June 2022, very strongly suspected of having been guided by Didier Gailhaguet. The report confirms these suspicions, explaining that the election “was influenced” and “this approach was clearly aimed at allowing the resumption of control of federal governance by interposed leaders”. At the end of the 130 hearings, this inspection report constitutes an implacable indictment against the management of the former president.
In the facts reported to the criminal justice system:
- “use of the federation’s bank card for inappropriate expenses and sometimes without supporting documents”
- “lack of transparency in the management of certain contracts for the provision of important services and advice with companies historically linked to the FFSG, for sometimes very high costs through opaque interpersonal relations with the former management and administrative team”
- “the accumulation of activities of an employee” of the FFSG with “that of president of a provider company” from 2014 to 2019
- “non-regulatory methods of remuneration of high-level athletes and the activities of undeclared sports agents”
- “opaque ticketing management” avant 2020
- “threats and attempts to intimidate current leaders”
- destruction of archives “shredder”also criminally reprehensible, shortly before the end of the mandate of Didier Gailhaguet
Many departures
Since winter 2020 and the Abitbol affair, the champion who said she was raped as a teenager by her former coach Gilles Beyer, now deceased, the FFSG has encountered management difficulties. “The effects of the 2020 crisis, which implicated more than twenty coaches for sexual and gender-based violence, are still very present”notes this report, referring to “cleavages” et “rivalries between clubs, between coaches, between disciplines, between former athletes”.
After the June 2022 election, during which outgoing Nathalie Péchalat clearly accused Didier Gailhaguet of pulling the strings, the FFSG continued to sink into crisis. “Successions of three treasurers and two general secretaries in eleven months”, notes the report. Among them, the former water ski champion Patrice Martin, secretary general ousted in October 2022, who had accused the head of the federation of “cronyism” and D’“between oneself”considering that ” many people “ were still in contact with Didier Gailhaguet.
Latest episode and unexpected reversal of Gwenaëlle Noury in May, concomitant with the end of the inspection report: she ousted six members of the office, close to Didier Gailhaguet. And explained that he suffered “pressures” et “bullying” emanating from him who wanted to make her his “puppet”.
Given this report, the next general meeting on June 17 still promises to be hectic. A situation that will be monitored “precisely and over time by the ministry”.