Former Olympic figure skater Philippe Candeloro elected president of French Ice Sports Federation

Election victory

Philippe Candeloro, the two-time Olympic bronze medallist in figure skating, was elected president of the French Ice Sports Federation on Saturday, June 27. The 54-year-old defeated incumbent Gwenaëlle Noury in the second round of voting, securing 51.35 percent of the vote to Noury's 46.77 percent. Six candidates contested the first round, with Noury leading and Candeloro and former Grenoble skating club president Gérard Balthazard also advancing.

I'm fairly confident because I'm a positive person, but at the end of the day, it is an election.

Financial pressures

The federation oversees ice sports in France ahead of the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps, but faces fragile finances. According to the campaign, the body posted a net profit of just 29,000 euros on a budget of five million euros in 2025. Candeloro argued that his fame and experience as a business manager would allow him to attract private sponsors and organize more events to boost revenue.

I believe I have the means to secure sponsors and partners and to organise more sporting events.

Discontent among smaller disciplines

Noury's campaign stressed stability in the run-up to the 2030 Games, but she faced a revolt from the federation's lesser-known sports, including short-track speed skating, bobsleigh, luge, skeleton, and curling. These disciplines felt neglected by the governing body. Candeloro will need to address that discontent to unite the federation.

Candeloro's public persona

A household name in France from his competitive career in the 1990s and his subsequent role as a television pundit, Candeloro acknowledged that his media image is sometimes divisive. He said his biggest challenge would be shifting public perception from his on-screen personality to his professional capabilities.

My biggest challenge is that people know me primarily through my media persona rather than my professional life.