Didier Gailhaguet

Who is Didier Gailhaguet?

Didier Gailhaguet is a former French figure skater and the president of the Fédération Française des Sports de Glace.

Gailhaguet was a central figure in the 2002 Olympic Winter Games figure skating scandal, in which French judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne said that she had judged wrongly in the pairs competition under pressure from Gailhaguet, who was at that time the president of the French federation. Witnesses of Le Gougne's statement were Sally-Anne Stapleford, Britta Lindgren, Walburga Grimm and Jon Jackson. Gailhaguet's chauffeur in Salt Lake City additionally testified to having overheard evidence of his involvement on the scandal. Le Gougne later rescinded her statement and said she had been pressured to make it.

Didier Gailhaguet was excluded for any International Skating Union event for 3 years, beginning 30 April 2002, and has been excluded as an ISU council member. He resigned as president of the French Ice Sports Federation on 12 May 2004, but was re-elected to that position in December 2007.

Earlier in his career, Gailhaguet was the coach of French skater Surya Bonaly.