Sawt Falasteen - Ex-Olympic medallist Canderloro elected French Ice Sports chief

Candeloro, a two-time Olympic bronze medallist known for his exuberant personality, bold style and trademark backflip, was elected on the second round of voting with six candidates.

The 54-year-old won 51.35 percent of votes compared to 46.77 for incumbent president Gwenaelle Noury.

Noury had led the first round ahead of Candeloro and former Grenoble skating club president Gerard Balthazard.

"I'm fairly confident because I'm a positive person, but at the end of the day, it is an election," Candeloro told AFP before the vote.

During the campaign, Candeloro had argued that his fame and experience as a businessman would help boost the federation's finances.

Despite a positive result last year the federation's finances remain fragile with a net profit of just 29,000 euros ($33,000) against a five million euro ($5.7m) budget for 2025.

"I believe I have the means to secure sponsors and partners and to organise more sporting events," Candeloro said.

A major figure in figure skating during the 1990s and a long-time television pundit —- a role in which he occasionally made tactless remarks —- Candeloro is now turning a new page in his career.

"My biggest challenge is that people know me primarily through my media persona rather than my professional life," added the two-time world medallist.

Noury had campaigned on the need for stability in the build-up to the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.

However, she has faced a revolt from the federation's lesser-known disciplines -- short-track speed skating, bobsleigh, luge, skeleton, and curling -- which felt neglected by the governing body.

H.Darwish--SF-PST