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

[Finley]

This is encouraging -

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[Alilou]

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

Sorry. Wish I could find this funny. Too much too soon.

 

[Orm Irian]

Sorry. Wish I could find this funny. Too much too soon.

Sorry. It was an insensitive joke.

 

[Alilou]

Sorry. It was an insensitive joke.

That's okay. It was just a bit too close to home. I do get how it could be funny.

 

[Bigbird]

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.

Power corrupts, absolute power is even worse in the hands of the egotists we have in all aspects of figure skating in every country.

 

[Audrey177]

wow macron is now involved? didier should be counting his days he might actually go to jail

 

[Viscaro]

This is encouraging -

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Further on the thread you quoted they link this L'équipe article in which he says that he agrees with the French Minister of Sports and that there is a "dysfonctionnement fédéral systémique".

I thinks this is the most involvement a French President has shown in figure skating, ever. Maybe Macron is on this thread right now

 

[MsZem]

I thinks this is the most involvement a French President has shown in figure skating, ever. Maybe Macron is on this thread right now

Perhaps Pechalat can advise him.

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[Vagabond]

I thinks this is the most involvement a French President has shown in figure skating, ever. Maybe Macron is on this thread right now

Just in case he is....

Bonsoir, Monsieur le Président! Bienvenue sur le site de FSUniverse.

 

[Colonel Green]

Macron reads the #TTW thread on his phone to get through long meetings.

 

[millyskate]

Another horrifying story published today on l'equipe.

Violences sexuelles: une mère et sa fille accusent Gilles Beyer de chantage

L'ancienne championne de France juniors Nadjma Mahamoud et sa mère racontent comment Gilles Beyer aurait essayé d'obtenir fin 2017 des faveurs sexuelles contre la prise en charge gratuite de la patineuse aux Français volants.

www.lequipe.fr

A former French junior champion from a family with modest means: Beyer tried to coerce her mother into prostitution to pay for her lessons. The text messages were shared with the journalist who corroborates the mother's story.

 

[oleada]

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.

Is this the reporting you heard?

In New Book, French Skating Champion Accuses Ex-Coach Of Rape

French prosecutors are opening an investigation after figure skating champion Sarah Abitbo accused her former coach of sexually assaulting her as a teenager.

www.npr.org

 

[MacMadame]

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!

No, because having different points of view breaks up the status quo. Like @Barbara Manatee says:

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.

 

[Seerek]

The set of letters/report shown on the show Quotidien this evening from skaters' parents reporting on Gilles Beyer dates back to 2000.

 

[bethy135]

I am feeling a little teary-eyed with gratitude that a light is finally shining in the dark corners of this sport - and the support being shown for these and all victims of sexual abuse and sexual assault.

I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high that things might change significantly.

I am excited personally that this might make the US and Canadian feds heed what is happening in France and that positive changes in skating culture might trickle down to local clubs and skaters of all levels.

 

[overedge]

I am feeling a little teary-eyed with gratitude that a light is finally shining in the dark corners of this sport - and the support being shown for these and all victims of sexual abuse and sexual assault.

I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high that things might change significantly.

I am excited personally that this might make the US and Canadian feds heed what is happening in France and that positive changes in skating culture might trickle down to local clubs and skaters of all levels.

I hope so too. But sadly I think the US and Canadian feds will probably say something like: the French federation was so badly run, and our federations are much better because we have statements against harassment and we support all survivors, blah blah blah

 

[Colonel Green]

I am excited personally that this might make the US and Canadian feds heed what is happening in France and that positive changes in skating culture might trickle down to local clubs and skaters of all levels.

I hope so too. But sadly I think the US and Canadian feds will probably say something like: the French federation was so badly run, and our federations are much better because we have statements against harassment and we support all survivors, blah blah blah

On the level of a federation, their main responsibility is how they handle complaints (and also whether they choose or not to employ people against whom validated complaints are made, which Didier clearly wasn't bothered by based on his relationship with Beyer).

 

[MacMadame]

On the level of a federation, their main responsibility is how they handle complaints (and also whether they choose or not to employ people against whom validated complaints are made, which Didier clearly wasn't bothered by based on his relationship with Beyer).

But that's looking at it logically. USFS doesn't think they are bad at handling complaints. So I think @overedge is right in her assessment.

 

[Colonel Green]

But that's looking at it logically. USFS doesn't think they are bad at handling complaints. So I think @overedge is right in her assessment.

We ourselves don't have much information to go on about how complaints are being handled, so it's hard to say much about what either federation could or should do better (though I'm sure there are areas for improvement, as with virtually all such institutions).

 

[Jay42]

I hope so too. But sadly I think the US and Canadian feds will probably say something like: the French federation was so badly run, and our federations are much better because we have statements against harassment and we support all survivors, blah blah blah

I keep waiting to here something about sexual harassment/abuse with Canadian coaches. I don't want it to happen but it feels unrealistic at this point to think there isn't something.

 

[her grace]

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

The Narcissist's Prayer

That didn't happen.
And if it did, it wasn't that bad.
And if it was, that's not a big deal.
And if it is, it is not my fault.
And if it was, I didn't mean it.
And if I did,
You deserved it.

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

I keep waiting to here something about sexual harassment/abuse with Canadian coaches. I don't want it to happen but it feels unrealistic at this point to think there isn't something.

There have been, went to court and got charged and ban from the SC. What do you want more?

SC doesn’t pay for its skaters’ skates and summer training as The French fed does/did. I am not telling it is the perfect governing body but the structure and involvement are different between both.

 

[Jay42]

There have been, went to court and got charged and ban from the SC. What do you want more?

SC doesn’t pay for its skaters’ skates and summer training as The French fed does/did. I am not telling it is the perfect governing body but the structure and involvement are different between both.

I was unaware that there had been anything. It also doesn't change the fact that I can still wonder if something is going to happen. When there's so much going on it's instinctual to wonder what else is going to come next.

 

[cocotaffy]

It's in French but for you out there French speakers, here is Nathalie Péchalat being interviewed on French TV yesterday. (This isn't geoblocked)
Good for her to speak up like this. If famous sportsmen and women like her are being as vocal as possible, then we can have hope. She also doesn't shy away from her responsibility saying she had heard things about Gilles Beyer but they all brushed it away not taking it too seriously. Finally someone saying I heard and yes, I feel responsible instead of the classic "Oh my god, I didn't know, he was the greatest .... " like in the Weinstein case.

 

[overedge]

I keep waiting to here something about sexual harassment/abuse with Canadian coaches. I don't want it to happen but it feels unrealistic at this point to think there isn't something.

Skate Canada has a list of banned coaches, although it doesn't give the reasons for the ban:

https://members.skatecanada.ca/List_of_Individuals_Suspended_or_Expelled_from_SkateCanada.pdf

A CBC investigative story from last year:

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/amateur-sport-abuse-local-clubs-1.5006510

And then there was:

Eisler showed different side

The Globe and Mail offers the most authoritative news in Canada, featuring national and international news

www.theglobeandmail.com

 

[VarBar]

It's in French but for you out there French speakers, here is Nathalie Péchalat being interviewed on French TV yesterday. (This isn't geoblocked)
Good for her to speak up like this. If famous sportsmen and women like her are being as vocal as possible, then we can have hope. She also doesn't shy away from her responsibility saying she had heard things about Gilles Beyer but they all brushed it away not taking it too seriously. Finally someone saying I heard and yes, I feel responsible instead of the classic "Oh my god, I didn't know, he was the greatest .... " like in the Weinstein case.

I wish Nathalie had stopped her husband Jean Dujardin from acting in a movie directed by the confessed and convicted child rapist Roman Polanski. But that's asking too much I guess.

 

[MsZem]

I wish Nathalie had stopped her husband Jean Dujardin from acting in a movie directed by the confessed and convicted child rapist Roman Polanski. But that's asking too much I guess.

She may have suggested it, but Dujardin makes his own decisions. I do wish she'd have distanced herself from the movie a bit more (she was at the Venice Film Festival, not that I blame her, and has posted about it on social media).

Anyway, Pechalat is not accountable for the actions of any of the men here, and she's clearly advocating for the right things when it comes to sports.

 

[Viscaro]

I saw Abitbol’s book in a bookshop today and I went through a few pages. She had long talks with Laëtitia Hubert about Beyer. Hubert said she supported her but did not want to go first line against him, and did not want to make public what happened exactly. A lot of victims are anonymised in the book and haven’t come forward. Another anonymised high rank dude at the FSSG is accused of rape by one of them (edit : I think she is talking about Jean Roland Racle, some accusations have come forward now)
On the plus side Abitbol skyped Pechalat about her wish to publish her book and she wrote that Pechalat was very supportive of her.
This calls for a thorough investigation of the FFSG indeed.

 

[mackiecat]

Skate Canada has a list of banned coaches, although it doesn't give the reasons for the ban:

https://members.skatecanada.ca/List_of_Individuals_Suspended_or_Expelled_from_SkateCanada.pdf

A CBC investigative story from last year:

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/amateur-sport-abuse-local-clubs-1.5006510

And then there was:

Eisler showed different side

The Globe and Mail offers the most authoritative news in Canada, featuring national and international news

www.theglobeandmail.com

And yet Eisner was able to go to the states and teach there

 

[Asli]

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!

Women sexual abusers do exist. However, can anyone imagine all women in a field closing ranks to protect a female child rapist at all costs, the way middle-aged white men in power positions do for their own?

Like @PRlady said, women abusers are a minority and like @Barbara Manatee said, diversity in power positions makes it easier to combat abuse.