Dominique Mérieux, until then secretary general of the French Gymnastics Federation, was elected president of the FFGym on Saturday, November 23, the organization announced. “Dominique Mérieux from the “In the heart of the gym” list wins the elections of the French Gymnastics Federation with 56.5% of the votes against the “Cap Gym” list headed by Raphaël Lecerf”wrote the FFGym in a press release.
She thus becomes, at 63 years old, the first woman to preside over the federation since its creation in 1873 and will lead it for the next four years. The outgoing president, James Blateau, did not run in these elections, after having served three terms (2013-2024).
Dominique Mérieux, former director of a nursery school, former gymnast, then judge and coach, became general secretary of the FFGym in 2013. President of an 800-member club in Lyon, she also managed the national training center for men’s artistic gymnastics from Lyon.
He campaigned promising a ” transition ” and had highlighted his “domain of federal functioning” and his “implantation”. He had tried to distance himself from James Blateau’s presidency. “I did not always agree with the decisions made and I said so, but I was not listened to and I assumed responsibility because, being part of governance, I was obliged to loyalty »he defended himself.
The Blateau era was marked by a complete absence of medals during the last three Olympic campaigns. Dominique Mérieux promised, starting in January 2025, “an external audit” of the federation. For its part, it considers that women’s and men’s artistic gymnastics constitute the “main concerns” of the federation “They are missing a boss. “Someone needs to coordinate this sector”he assured before the elections.
