Philippe Candeloro was elected president of the French Ice Sports Federation on Saturday. The former figure skater, a two-time Olympic medalist, defeated incumbent president Gwenaëlle Noury in the second round of a close vote. He takes the helm of this strategically important federation four years before the 2030 Winter Olympics in France.
A second round with the knife
The result was decided in the second round. Philippe Candeloro obtained 51,35% of the votes, compared to 46,77% for Gwenaëlle Noury. Twenty-three blank ballots were counted. In terms of votes, the difference was less than fifty: 493 votes for Candeloro, 449 for Noury.
Noury led in the first round, Candeloro won in the end
The first round had placed Gwenaëlle Noury in a favorable position, with 38,62% of the vote. Philippe Candeloro followed with 32,81%, ahead of Gérard Balthazard, former president of the Grenoble club, who received 25,81%. The transfer of votes in the second round ultimately allowed Candeloro to unseat the incumbent.
Six candidates for a federation under pressure
The election was open, with six declared candidates for the presidency: Gérard Balthazard, Philippe Candeloro, Maxime Combes, Gwenaëlle Gigarel-Noury, Prosper Marie-Calixte, and Alain Martinet. The vote took place during the FFSG's elective general assembly, held on June 27 and 28 at INSEP in Paris.
A popular name at the head of French ice cream
At 54, Philippe Candeloro is embarking on a new chapter in his career. He remains one of the most recognizable figures in French figure skating, with two Olympic bronze medals won in Lillehammer in 1994 and then in Nagano in 1998. After his sporting career, he became a media personality, notably as a television commentator.
A federation with 11 disciplines
The FFSG is not limited to figure skating. It encompasses 11 disciplines: ice ballet, bobsleigh, curling, ice dance, freestyle, ice cross, luge, figure skating, synchronized figure skating, short track, and skeleton. Seven of these are Olympic disciplines.
The financial file is at the heart of the mandate
During his campaign, Philippe Candeloro emphasized the need to develop the federation's financial resources. He stressed the importance of finding sponsors and partners and organizing more events. The FFSG (French Ice Sports Federation) is coming off a slightly positive 2025 fiscal year, with a net profit of €29,000 on a budget of approximately €5 million, but its situation remains precarious.
Heading towards the 2030 Olympics
The new president arrives at a pivotal moment. The 2030 Winter Olympics are to be held in France, in the French Alps. For the FFSG (French Ice Sports Federation), the challenge is to prepare the Olympic disciplines, strengthen the federation's structures, support the clubs, and give greater visibility to ice sports over the next four years.
