PARIS -- Didier Gaihaguet, the head of the French Skating Federation suspended for his role in the Salt Lake City Olympics figure skating scandal, was re-elected to a second four-year term Saturday.

Gailhaguet defeated French bobsledder Michel-Ange Marie-Calixte by an overwhelming margin, federation spokesman Michael Noyelle said.

Gailhaguet could not immediately be reached for comment.

The outcome is a much-needed boost of support for Gailhaguet.

Gailhaguet and French skating judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne were suspended for three years and banned from the 2006 Winter Games by the International Skating Union last month.

The two were found guilty of colluding to fix the outcome of the event in favor of Russian pair Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze ahead of Canadians Jamie Sale and David Pelletier.

Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze initially won the gold medal, but the International Olympic Committee awarded duplicate gold medals to Sale and Pelletier after Le Gougne said she was pressured ``to vote a certain way.'' She later recanted her accusation.

Gaihaguet has denied any wrongdoing.