Photo: CNOSF.
« It seems that there are people who have reasonable ideas… It even seems that there are some who never leave their comfort zone… Good to know. "Here's what Nathalie Péchalat wrote a few weeks ago on Instagram. Her words referred to a completely different project, but they could perfectly fit a role at the head of the COJOP. Her name has been mentioned as a possible successor to Edgar Grospiron." whose release was confirmed on ThursdayThe Élysée Palace desires a sporting embodiment According to Le Parisienand she appears as a credible figure.
Three Olympic Games as an athlete, the FFSG and Club France
Having competed in three Winter Olympics in ice dance, she is well-positioned to understand the expectations of athletes at an event of this magnitude. She was also Chef de Mission at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Clearly, she is not arriving in unfamiliar territory when it comes to the sporting aspects. But the Games are much more than that. Edgar Grospiron's tenure has demonstrated this: being president of the Paris 2022 Organizing Committee is also (and above all) about management, communication, and politics.
She was able to experience these aspects firsthand during her two years at the head of the French Ice Sports Federation (2020-2022), a period marked by crises – the aftermath of the sexual abuse scandal that forced her predecessor Didier Gailhaguet to resign and the Covid-19 pandemic. This allowed her to learn more about the administrative workings of a federation, the search for partners, budget management, etc. I am learning the codes inherent to the function » she asserted in May 2020His experience has undoubtedly grown considerably as a result.
She also gained invaluable experience during Paris 2024. As Deputy Chair of Club France, she led the conceptualization, management, and programming of the venue, which welcomed 600.000 unique visitors during the Olympic Games. Simultaneously, she joined the expanded Executive Board of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) in 2023, thus forging significant connections with one of the key stakeholders of the upcoming Winter Games.
"If she accepts a responsibility, she does everything to make it work."
Dominique Rabbé was the FFSG's treasurer during Nathalie Péchalat's presidency. She has very positive memories of their collaboration. Of course, when she arrived, she didn't know all the ins and outs, but she got up to speed very quickly. She's very motivated and passionate. If she takes on a responsibility, she does everything she can to make it work. What's nice is that she's a good listener. She has ideas, but she's also able to admit when she doesn't know something and she listens to what others have to say. That's not the case for everyone. " she confided to Francs Jeux.
« What was important when she arrived was to restore a positive image to our federation, which she did in just a few weeks, and to find sponsors again, so that the federation would be recognized externally. She did it very well and quickly. “That’s fortunate,” continues Dominique Rabbé. “Finding partners will be one of the major challenges in the coming months.” She got involved very quickly, in all the projects. She didn't do everything herself; she's capable of delegating, which is also important, but she kept a close eye on all the files. We had to organize the World Championships in Montpellier in a very short time, and she had to meet with elected officials. She had all the political contacts directly. She attended and led all the political meetings. "This can be important in a case like the Alps 2030, where you have to deal with two host regions.
Dominique Rabbé still regularly exchanges messages with Nathalie Péchalat, and believes she has the profile to succeed Edgar Grospiron: She has a knack for bringing people together, as she's demonstrated in other situations. For the past two years, she's been president of the Premiers de Cordée association, and it's going incredibly well. When she was in charge of Club France, things went extremely well too. She's perfectly capable of handling this role. She won't be alone; the important thing is to be able to unite and coordinate all the activities. »
Nathalie Péchalat had applied at the beginning of 2025, when Martin Fourcade withdrew. From the outset in 2023, I expressed my interest in the French Alps 2030 project, which I followed as a member of the CNOSF executive board, viewing it as a tremendous opportunity with these Games to reinvent the French mountains in the face of climate challenges. " she explained to Le Dauphinéadding that she had not not afraid of difficult cases "To commit to these 2030 Winter Games, that's better." Contacted by Francs JeuxShe is not officially applying, but she is leaving the door open: I believe it's up to the governing body – the two regions, the government, the CNOSF, and the CPSF – to agree on the profile they're looking for, and then make the right decisions. The ball is not in my court at all. The decision-makers must decide. »
