Frenchman Luc Tardif was elected president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), announced the proceedings, Saturday September 25. Aged 68, Luc Tardif was until then president of the French Ice Hockey Federation, but also the treasurer of the international federation for eight years.
In an interview with The team, published on Friday, he admitted not being the favorite against the German Franz Reindl, ” who [jouait] a little at home because he [était] supported by the Russians ”, but said he had his chances. Opposed to four other candidates, he was finally elected in the fourth ballot against Franz Reindl, with 63% of the votes (67 votes against 39). He succeeds the Swiss René Fasel, who led the IIHF for 27 years and was not running again.
“I saw everyone”
Not “Too keen” initially, he had been persuaded to introduce himself by “Some countries which [lui] said to go ”, and by “The CNOSF [Comité national olympique et sportif français], who always made sure to help, to push to try to take responsibilities at the highest level in the federations or at the Olympic level ”. He then “Takes a tour of a virtual world with ninety hours of consultation. I reached 95 federations, I saw everyone ”, he assured in The team.
Born in Quebec in Trois-Rivières, Luc Tardif was a player in Europe before taking, from 2000, the head of French ice hockey. He notably brought this sport out of the bosom of the French Federation of Ice Sports. In 2006, the Franco-Canadian took charge of the newly created French Ice Hockey Federation, of which he remained the boss until his election as head of the IIHF.
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