Former Sports Minister Oudéa-Castéra Seeks ⁤Leadership of French Olympic Committee

PARIS (AP) — Amélie⁤ Oudéa-Castéra, ⁤47, the former Minister of Sports and Olympic and Paralympic Games, has announced her candidacy‍ for president of the French national and Sports Olympic Committee (CNOSF).The formal announcement was made in a letter to federation presidents this Wednesday, signaling a potential new chapter after her recent ministerial role.

Oudéa-Castéra’s decision comes after speculation about her future, which included potential roles as a deputy or within a CAC 40 company. In her⁤ letter, ⁣she stated, “I wish to ⁢inform you of my candidacy for the presidency of the ⁤CNOSF… A choice that I make with humility, ⁢determination⁢ and the⁣ desire to‍ carry, at the service of federations and⁤ the ⁢French sports movement, a strong ⁣and unifying, modern and useful project.” She added that she sought and ⁣received ⁤approval from ⁣the high authority for the transparency of public life before announcing her candidacy.

Paris 2024⁤ Legacy a Key Focus

oudéa-Castéra emphasized the importance of building on the momentum of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. “At all stages of my life ⁢(…), I was able to live and feel the strength of the French sports model… Like you, I hope that the heritage of the⁤ Games of Paris 2024 does not fall back, that⁣ he ⁤does not run ⁤out of steam,” she wrote.

A Surprise Entry into a Contested Race

Her candidacy is ⁤considered a ⁤surprise move.Following ⁣David Lappartient’s ⁣decision⁢ not to run after succeeding Brigitte Henriques in 2023,⁢ the race ‍appeared ⁣to⁢ be between Didier Seminet,⁢ president of French baseball and former secretary ‍general of the CNOSF, and Cédric Gosse, ⁢president of the French triathlon ⁣federation.⁤ Astrid Guyart, the current No. 2 at CNOSF, also considered‍ a‍ run but ultimately declined. With major ‍Olympic federations like judo, swimming, ⁢and tennis initially hesitant to commit, Oudéa-Castéra’s entry reshapes‍ the landscape.

Seeking Consensus in a Divided Organization

Reports suggest ‍Cédric Gosse may withdraw from the presidential race to ⁢potentially form a partnership with Oudéa-Castéra, aligning with the “renovate the sport” reflection group. If Oudéa-Castéra is elected president, Gosse is expected to ⁢vie for the secretary general position, relinquishing his role as president of the triathlon⁣ federation.

the allocation of positions for Olympic federations remains a key question. Didier⁤ Seminet⁤ has garnered support from volleyball and rowing, while Cédric Gosse’s backing primarily ⁤comes from affinity federations, which represent⁣ approximately a quarter of the votes but do⁢ not participate in the olympic Games.

The CNOSF experienced internal divisions ‍during ⁤the 2021 election of Brigitte Henriques, running alongside didier Seminet. Several prominent federations, including handball, equestrian, judo, swimming, and tennis (then represented by Oudéa-Castéra), were removed from⁢ key positions. this sparked controversy, particularly as France prepared to host the ⁢Olympics, leading ⁤to a crisis within the organization’s leadership.

Neither Seminet nor Gosse has successfully⁤ unified the CNOSF,with many⁢ federations remaining detached.⁢ Oudéa-Castéra’s close⁢ ties to ⁢Olympic federations during the Paris Olympics planning could potentially led to greater inclusion for them, possibly at the expense of ‍the affinity federations.