Gailhaguet quote

What is the role and mission of a national skating federation?

Here is Didier Gailhauget, quoted in Blades on Ice, with this lead-in:

Marie-Reine Le Gougne claimed that Gailhauget had put pressure on her to vote for the Russians in the pairs event at Salt lake City. She claimed there was an implicit threat that if she did not do so, she would not be sent to judge internationally again for her country.

Gailhauget: "You know I've always had the interests of French skating in my heart. I can hold my head up high. I have nothing to be ashamed of. I talked up French competitors -- of course I did. What do you think the head of a Federation should do? Pretend they have no opinion?

"I did nothing I didn't believe was in the best interest of the skaters. That's what I should have been doing. If I had not been doing that, I would not have been doing my job. I did everything that was in the best interests of my skaters."

Gaihauget does not explain how pressuring the French judge to vote for the Russian pairs skaters was "in the best interest" of French skaters.

MM

Mathman said:

Gaihauget does not explain how pressuring the French judge to vote for the Russian pairs skaters was "in the best interest" of French skaters.

MM

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Does he admit that he does this? Or is "talking up the French competitors" the only thing to which he admits?

You know, I actually never knew what a Federation should be doing other than facilitating his countryman's athletes through the requirements of competitions.

They do not seem to have any scruples when it comes to 'it's not if you win but how you play the game' as the British do.

Yes, indeed, Gailhaguet did not respond to the main question.

Joe

Mathman said:

What is the role and mission of a national skating federation?

...

Gaihauget does not explain how pressuring the French judge to vote for the Russian pairs skaters was "in the best interest" of French skaters.

MM

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What I am really more interested in is how any federation president could think it is "in the best interest" of their skaters to insult them by assuming they can't win without a deal,

attyfan said:

What I am really more interested in is how any federation president could think it is "in the best interest" of their skaters to insult them by assuming they can't win without a deal,

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I think there are two forces at play.

First, there is a well-studied psychological phenomenon where people tend to ascribe to others the virtues and vices that they themselves possess. If you are basically a truthful person, for instance, you tend to believe that others are telling the truth, too. If you are a liar, you think everyone else is lying to you.

I think there is a mind-set within the ISU and its member federations that everybody cheats, so we have to cheat harder than the other guys just to stay even.

The second factor, IMHO, is that federation officials like to think of themselves as big shots and wielders of great infuence. If a national federation just prepares its athletes and sends them out to compete, where's the personal glory for the big kahunas in the federation?

MM