Gaël Rivière elected new President of the FFH

December 14, 2024

Gathered, for some, at the Chesnaie Le Roy Pavilion, in the heart of the Parc Floral de Paris, and for others, present remotely in a hybrid format, the clubs, licensees, departmental and regional disabled sports committees took part, today, in the Elective General Assembly of the French Handisport Federation.

At the end of the 2020-2024 term, chaired by Guislaine Westelynck, the affiliated structures, clubs and committees, were called upon to renew the Steering Committee of the French Handisport Federation, for the next four years, among the 49 candidates , all colleges combined. In accordance with current legislation, strict parity was required within the Steering Committee.

Proposed by the new elected Steering Committee, the Presidency of Gaël Rivière, for the 2024-2028 term, was approved by 87.93% by all the voters of this Elective General Assembly and is therefore entrusted with a four-year mandate .

Player of the French blind football team, silver medalist at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, and very recent Paralympic champion at the Paris 2024 Games, Gaël Rivière has been practicing his sport for more than 20 years, having discovered the football during the Blues epic in 1998. In parallel with his career as a high-level sportsman, the native of Reunion followed his studies in law, becoming a lawyer at the Paris Bar in 2017. Already involved in the federal body, he served as vice-president in charge of the Visually Impaired Sport mission during the 2020-2024 term.
At 34, Gaël Rivière becomes the sixth President in the history of the French Handisport Federation.

In the coming weeks, the new Steering Committee, under the responsibility of its new President, will be responsible for establishing a steering committee for this new mandate.

The French Handisport Federation wishes to express, one last time, its gratitude to Guislaine Westelynck for her unfailing commitment to the service of the Handisport family, having served as President from 2017 to 2024. More broadly, the Federation thanks the entire Steering Committee for the 2020-2024 term having worked for the development of our practices throughout the territory.

Voting procedure

This Saturday, December 14, 2024, the representatives of the affiliated structures of the French Handisport Federation elected, with parity, 13 men and 13 women to constitute the new Steering Committee, among the 4 Colleges of representatives.

Among the 41 candidates from College 1, representing the administrators, in accordance with the statutes, 10 women and 10 men joined the new Steering Committee. In the first round, 7 women and 5 men reached an absolute majority of votes. In the second round, 3 women and 5 men reached the relative majority.

Within College 2, representing the medical and paramedical sectors, Eric Pantera and Nathalène Laroche were elected in the first round by the General Assembly.

Among the 4 candidates from College 3, representing the refereeing and supervisory body, Emilie Assati and Pierre Charrier were elected in the first round by the General Assembly.

For College 4, representing high-level athletes, Katell Alençon (cycling) and Jordan Broisin (alpine skiing) were elected by their peers.

Following this election, the elected Steering Committee met behind closed doors to propose a name to the Presidency of the federal body, subsequently submitted for approval by the Elective General Assembly, electronically.

Gaël Rivière, President of the French Handisport Federation | Mandate 2024-2028

Building together a strong, ambitious and avant-garde Federation

Cher.es ami.es,
I thank you all for honoring me with your trust by electing me President of our federal body. This election is an honor but also an obligation, that of taking into account all the voices and all the currents, which make up our Federation, to bring everyone together. As the French Handisport Federation, we have a power that goes beyond sport, this very power to change mentalities and show the way to inclusion. This summer, on the grounds of the Stade Tour Eiffel, at the time of our Paralympic coronation in blind football, what I heard was that disabled sports could create a strong dynamic. Our Federation can be this beacon that guides and enlightens. I hope that together we will build a strong, ambitious and avant-garde Federation, because we can do better and do more, by being imaginative and by strengthening our ties throughout the territory. Members of the Steering Committee, affiliated structures, Departmental and Regional Handisport Committees, licensees, there will always be room, under my mandate, for all those who want to work in the service of the Federation.

The main axes of his project

Elected Steering Committee | Mandate 2024-2028

Gaël RIVIÈRE – President
Katell ALENÇON
Émilie ASSATI
Nathalie BELPAUME
Omar BOUYOUCEF
Léo BRIEN
BY JORDAN BROIS
Adèle BURUCOA
Pierre CHARRIER
Franck CROUILLIÈRE-BLASZKA
Odyle Deleuze-Luchini
Patrice GERGÈS
Christine ISSON
Daniel JEANNE
Dad Saly KANE
Nathalène LAROCHE
Vincent LASSALLE

Myriam MANIA
Ludivine MUNOS
Dominique NADALIÉ
Sylvain PAILLETTE
Eric PANTERA
Corinne ROLE
Nadette TASSART
Véronique TERRAY
Patricia VIGNAU

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