Controversial Skating Presidential Candidate Pledges Transparency, Innovation

(ATR) International Skating Union presidential candidate Didier Gailhaguet tells Around the Rings his three-year ban for involvement in the Salt Lake City judging scandal is well behind him.

"The people inside the ISU know very well the person that I am," he told ATR in an exclusive interview. "I am not a saint of course but who is."

Gailhaguet, who heads the French skating federation, was sanctioned for allegedly pressuring a French judge to favour a Russian pair of figure skaters at the 2002 Olympics.

"First of all I always refuse the charge but I have accepted the sentence," he said, noting that the judge had later retracted the allegation against him."I really felt this was an injustice. I believe I got trapped in something much bigger. It was a difficult time for me."

Gailhaguet is the first candidate to enter the race to replace ISU president Ottavio Cinquanta who is stepping down in the summer when elections are held to appoint his successor.

Asked whether the 2002 scandal might impact his chances of securing the ISU hot seat, he said:"No I don’t. I decided to climb the mountain again and I wish to be respected. This was 15 years ago. Whatever happened, true or not, I paid my dues to the community. I don’t see why I should have permanent penalties," he said.

"During the last 15 years, I won several elections. Do you think if I was such a bad person people would keep trusting me?".

Gailhaguet’s campaign is being managed by VERO Communications. The 62-year-old feels he’s right man for the job."I am humble. I have a life dedicated to skating," he said of his 40 years as Olympian, coach and administrator. "I think I have experience and still have a lot of energy and passion. I’m ambitious. I want the power to do good things for the ISU and athletes."

Gailhaguet insists the skating federation must move forward and embrace the IOC’s Agenda 2020 reforms, while building on the sport’s strong traditions and values.

Manifesto Promises

Increasing the global appeal of figure and speed skating, attracting more countries to ISU competitions and championships and creating new competition formats to reach a larger and younger audience are key challenges ahead.

He also pledges to bring the "highest ethicaland professional standards" to ISU operations, ensuring transparency in relation to the awarding of major ISU events and contracts. If he becomes president, he would institute a review of the ISU constitution.

Under the slogan "Change Before We Get Changed", his manifesto pledges include developing the appeal of short and long-track, bring more creative and innovative ideas, including different formats, to figure skating where he would abolish anonymous judging.

For speed skating, he wants to capitalize on the success of the thrilling discipline, to deliver a more media and TV-friendly event: "Short track is a very attractive sport. We only speak about it every four years. Young people are interested in extreme sports, sport where there is a lot of emotion. In short track everything can happen. We should look how we can progress."

Gailhaguet said he would support IOC president Thomas Bach’s push for federations to publish salaries and compensation policies as a matter of transparency.

"Yes of course, I have no problem with this. It’s important that the ISU operates with highest ethical standards," he said.

He also proposes a doubling of annual development investment to $10 million for the ISU’s 72 member federations. Money would come from IOC contributions and TV and marketing contracts.

Another pledge is to increase prize money for speed, short track and synchronized skaters and ensure an even distribution across all five ISU sports.

Cinquanta’s successor as ISU chief will be elected for a two-year period in June after the Italian IOC member asked to stay on two extra years in 2014. Another election is scheduled in 2018.

Gailhaguet is proposing a six-year term for the new ISU president "so I can really show what I want to improve with my team".

In the coming weeks, he is meeting as many national federation leaders as possible to exchange ideas and to explain his vision for skating. This week he is in Estonia and Latvia.

"These are exciting times for our sport but we also have to be brave in order to ensure the future is bright for all skating disciplines," he said.

Reported by Mark Bisson

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.