Four years almost to the day after succeeding Henri Sérandour at the head of the CNOSF, Denis Masseglia is seeking a second term, Thursday May 23, 2013. The only candidate, the Marseillais should return for another four years in the presidential chair. He responded straightforwardly to questions from FrancsJeux.
FrancsJeux : In 2009, you had to dismiss several rivals, including Guy Drut and Jean-Luc Rougé, to win the presidency of the CNOSF. This time, you are the only one in the running. Should we conclude that you have extinguished the competition?
Denis Masseglia : I would have preferred to have one or two opponents facing me, because the debate of ideas does not bother me, on the contrary. Finding myself the only candidate perhaps proves that the work has been well done over the last four years. And that the CNOSF is in good working order. Many projects were brought to fruition during this first mandate: sports governance, television, Club France at the London Games... And we showed strong mobilization to bring several bills to fruition, including those on betting. athletes and on the pension scheme for high-level athletes.
With only one candidate for president, what can we expect from the vote of the CNOSF General Assembly on Thursday May 23?
My opponent will be abstention, or the opposite vote. I obtained 75% of the votes in 2009 during ratification by the CNOSF General Assembly. I always thought that such a result against competition did not have the same weight as the same score when competing alone.
During this first four-year term, what are you most proud of?
Having been able to unite. After being elected against three rivals, the challenge was to bring people together. And you need at least one mandate to achieve this. It was necessary to have a united sports movement. The absence of competition for this second term proves that I succeeded. The conditions are now ripe to advance our sporting model. We are today the only country in the world to operate in this way. It's time to change it.
Conversely, what was your biggest regret?
The failure of Annecy 2018. We had to go to the end, but the result, in terms of its scale and manner, remains a big disappointment. After the withdrawal of Edgar Grospiron from the candidacy committee, we saw a decision from the Ministry arrive (the appointment of Charles Beigbeder, editor's note) without having been warned. A minister is not always right despite everything.
What are the broad outlines of your program as a candidate for re-election?
Strengthen the communication of Olympic disciplines via television, promotion via Club France, partnership… But these are tools. The most important thing is, for the sports movement, to achieve greater autonomy. We must change the governance of sport. The strength of French sport is its sports movement. But nothing is done to make our lives easier. Today, our resources are decreasing, but administrative complications remain. The administrative structure is really very heavy.
At the start of the year, the State very solemnly entrusted you with responsibility for the international relations of French sport. Is this not proof of governance reform in your favor?
In words, yes. But look at the reality of the means. Last year, the State paid 1 million euros to the federations for their international relations, plus €300 to the CNOSF. This year, the overall envelope is €000. The transfer of responsibilities to the sports movement should not be accompanied by an expectation to achieve miracles. There has been a lot of talk lately about the English model and the example of UK Sport, the British body in charge of high performance. But no fewer than 500 people work at UK Sport. We do not have the same means. Our model is tired. It is urgent to renovate it.
Will France bid for the 2024 Summer Games?
We have always said that we have an Olympic ambition. But it is too early to ask the question. We have to wait and see who gets the 2020 Games and who chairs the IOC. An application only makes sense if it is based on a project. It must help to put sport at the heart of society. A candidacy must be desired and supported by the State, by the territory concerned and by the sports movement. Today, we are far from it.
Photo © Christophe Morin
