Does french figure skating have a culture of rape ? FFSG in the storm

[taz'smum]

I'm so glad now that Tiff and Jon chose to skate for Russia!

Sadly First-Hand knowledge of the setup in France was a big factor in shaping that choice!

 

[PRlady]

I'm so glad now that Tiff and Jon chose to skate for Russia!

Sadly First-Hand knowledge of the setup in France was a big factor in shaping that choice!

Understandable. On the other hand you have to worry about Tiff and Jon getting caught up in Russia’s drug-cheating issues. I say they should skate for Israel.

 

[millyskate]

Understandable. On the other hand you have to worry about Tiff and Jon getting caught up in Russia’s drug-cheating issues. I say they should skate for Israel.

The Israeli Fed would probably send their coach, choreographer, half the government cabinet and @taz'smum herself to the games but ask Tiff and Jon to stay home for lack of budget.

 

[taz'smum]

The Israeli Fed would probably send their coach, choreographer, half the government cabinet and @taz'smum herself to the games but ask Tiff and Jon to stay home for lack of budget.

The FFSG almost did exactly that. They sent me the tickets for Tiff for an international, but they put the tickets in my name!
They were not polite when I pointed out that it was very nice of them to send tickets for the skating mum, but just perhaps it might be better if they sent the athlete tickets as well!

Organisation was not the FFSG's strong point ....

 

[taz'smum]

Understandable. On the other hand you have to worry about Tiff and Jon getting caught up in Russia’s drug-cheating issues. I say they should skate for Israel.

So far the Russian doping scandal has been the ill wind that has blown Tiff and Jon some good ...

 

[SandraMGfan]

Press conference PBP: (in French) Conférence de presse de Didier Gailhaguet
He will not resign and claims to have been made aware of those stories last week (like everyone else)...

 

[kirkbiggestfan]

Beyer was team leader for 2011 Junior Worlds: Didier G: "I may be naive but I thought he could oversee minors"
He was overseeing Gaby/Guillaume, Tiff/Alexis, Romain and Yretha.

 

[Colonel Green]

Press conference PBP: (in French) Conférence de presse de Didier Gailhaguet
He will not resign and claims to have been made aware of those stories last week (like everyone else)...

Didier: "If I'm going down, I'm taking you all with me!"
FFSG lackies: "Yes, sir!"

 

[PRlady]

What an arrogant SOB.

 

[ks1227]

For those in the US, this story was covered on NPR this morning. You'll probably be able to find a version later, whether audio or print. Beyer, Abitbol, and Gailhaguet were all discussed by name, with focus on Abitbol and her book.

 

[kwanfan1818]

The Israeli Fed would probably send their coach, choreographer,

Wouldn't cost them a dime extra, because they're already sending Galit Chait...

 

[Orm Irian]

Press conference PBP: (in French) Conférence de presse de Didier Gailhaguet
He will not resign and claims to have been made aware of those stories last week (like everyone else)...

But I've seen reports that four members of the FFSG Executive Council did resign, last night, including one person who supported Gwendal Peizerat's candidacy for president of the FFSG in 2014. Which is encouraging. If people are starting to feel like the gridlock can be broken...

 

[MsZem]

Beyer was team leader for 2011 Junior Worlds: Didier G: "I may be naive but I thought he could oversee minors"
He was overseeing Gaby/Guillaume, Tiff/Alexis, Romain and Yretha.

At this point I have to ask - was Yretha's retirement motivated only by the injury? (which was bad enough in itself, so I hope that was it)

 

[insideedgeua]

Euronews has been reporting on the story all day. Tonight they’ve expanded their coverage to include someone giving special comments and further explaining the ramifications. There’s hopefully no sweeping this back under the carpet now.

 

[Vagabond]

Somewhere in the 13th Arrondissement, the Minister of Youth and Sport is getting ready to trigger a nuclear detonation.

 

[Orm Irian]

Somewhere in the 13th Arrondissement, the Minister of Youth and Sport is getting ready to trigger a nuclear detonation.

I hope to hear the explosion before I leave Paris.

 

[MarieM]

Well now the minister knows what we've all been saying from the start: he won't resign, may the FFSG burn with him.

 

[Finley]

Time to call Ronan Farrow.

Take out all the trash.

 

[Primorskaya]

I'm so glad now that Tiff and Jon chose to skate for Russia!

Sadly First-Hand knowledge of the setup in France was a big factor in shaping that choice!

I don't know whether to find it hilarious or terrible that skaters would choose the Russian Fed over the French one on the grounds of "less corruption and dirty dealings"

 

[nimi]

So, apparently Didier claimed that FFSG has been working with a NGO that fights sexual abuse in sports, called Colosse aux pieds d’argile. Not only has its founder Sébastien Boueilh denied this claim, he also says that Péchalat (who's an ambassador for the NGO) has been trying for 3 years to get FFSG to work with them, but to no avail, because "we don't have a pedophilia problem in our Federation" etc. This is my shocked face

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“Gailhaguet mentioned an association today saying he's working with them on preventive actions - said association has just 1) denied they're working together 2) adds that N Pechalat has pleaded with him to let them in for 3 years but his reply was "There's no problem at the ffsg"...

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For more info on Colosse aux pieds d’argile and Boueilh, see the article I posted earlier.

 

[Alilou]

Long French article: "To resign, I would have to have committed a fault. I do not consider myself to have done so," he said.

DIRECT. Violences sexuelles dans le sport : "Les dirigeants des clubs doivent pouvoir s'assurer que leurs bénévoles n'ont pas de casier judiciaire", pour la ministre des Sports

Roxana Maracineanu est en ce moment aux côtés de sa collègue de la Justice, Nicole Belloubet, pour évoquer ensemble la question des violences sexuelles qui secoue le monde du sport depuis quelques jours.

www.francetvinfo.fr

And BBC

Sarah Abitbol: French ice skating head refuses to resign

Ministers call for Didier Gailhaguet to resign after allegations that a coach raped an ice skater.

www.bbc.com

 

[hanca]

Women have got to be present in positions of power in all fields. Only then will there be some glimmer of hope for a solution!

Because women would never be perpetrators of sexual abuse? But they can be! I worked with a few who did all sorts of things to children!

 

[taz'smum]

I don't know whether to find it hilarious or terrible that skaters would choose the Russian Fed over the French one on the grounds of "less corruption and dirty dealings"

@Primorskaya - You are putting your own interpretation on what I have said. I didn't say France was more corrupt and had more dirty dealings than Russia. I was mainly referring to the setup where DG has complete control over everything that happens in French skating which had been to our detriment even before the release problems. It is DG's way or No Way!

 

[PRlady]

Because women would never be perpetrators of sexual abuse? But they can be! I worked with a few who did all sorts of things to children!

There are some awful women perps, agreed, but all the data demonstrates that they are about 20% of child abusers. As usual, most of the bad guys are men. So @Asli is accurate in terms of playing the percentages.

 

[Vagabond]

I could be wrong. by my perception as a foreigner (and a man) is that Emmanuel Macron's decision to field parliamentary candidates with significant experience outside of elective politics made at least as much difference here as did the fact that the current minister is a woman.

Just my two euro cents.

 

[ldec]

More disturbing news on Gilles Beyer - he has also reportedly targeted the mother of one of his former students while the girl was still competing in 2017/2018:

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“@lequipe Article is out: it concerns Nadjma Mahamoud, former French junior champion (in 2014) - Gilles Beyer has reportedly propositioned his mom (he asked her to sleep with him when he wanted and he would have help her daughter for free) 1/”

twitter.com

ETA. The article itself is behind a paywall here: https://www.lequipe.fr/Patinage-art...lle-accusent-gilles-beyer-de-chantage/1106708

I am speechless...

 

[Orm Irian]

Ooof. I remember wondering what happened to Nadjma a couple of years ago when her name stopped showing up in competition lists. What an absolute horror for her. And that case combines sexual harassment of the mother (including an implied threat to the daughter - Beyer commenting on Nadjma's body to her mother) with a financial/class element as the family didn't have the financial resources to move to get away from him.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

It isn't only that women are statistically less likely to be abusers. What is even more important that they are far more likely to have experienced abuse themselves, more likely to recognize the signs and consequences of harassment, and thus are much less likely to ignore and minimize it. When there is diversity in positions of power, victims have a better chance of finding someone who can understand their situation and take action to protect them.

 

[pat c]

Obviously there is no code of ethics whatsoever for coaches in France. If I'm wrong, then this situation is more of a clusterf*** than I thought.

It's bad enough to read about Abitbol, and others. But to try to blackmail someone's mother???? What is wrong with these people. I was sitting on the fence as far is ripping the french federation totally apart. Now? I gotta match and a blow torch. Who wants to start the fire. My heart bleeds for these poor skaters. Wow.

 

[Orm Irian]

Obviously there is no code of ethics whatsoever for coaches in France. If I'm wrong, then this situation is more of a clusterf*** than I thought.

It's bad enough to read about Abitbol, and others. But to try to blackmail someone's mother???? What is wrong with these people. I was sitting on the fence as far is ripping the french federation totally apart. Now? I gotta match and a blow torch. Who wants to start the fire. My heart bleeds for these poor skaters. Wow.

No need to start a new fire. Just pick em all up and drop them somewhere hot in New South Wales.