Marius Vizer, president of the International Judo Federation, (IJF) watches at the SportAccord International Convention in St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday, May 31, 2013. Vizer was elected Friday as president of SportAccord, an umbrella body representing Olympic and non-Olympic sports federations. Photo: Dmitry Lovetsky │ Source:newstimes.com
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — In a potential direct challenge to the IOC and the Olympics, judo federation chief Marius Vizer plans to organize a global world championships every four years for all international sports federations.
Vizer was elected Friday as president of SportAccord, an umbrella body representing Olympic and non-Olympic sports federations. He defeated International Rugby Board chairman Bernard Lapasset of France 52-37 on the final day of the SportAccord convention in St. Petersburg.
The 56-year-old Vizer, a Romanian-born Hungarian, succeeds former cycling federation president Hein Verbruggen, who led the umbrella organization since 2004.
Vizer won on a platform of transforming SportAccord into a more powerful and lucrative body. The centerpiece of his project is to stage a “United World Championships” every four years for Olympic and non-Olympic sports.
Vizer said he plans to organize the first event in 2017 and hopes all 91 member federations take part.
“The event will be organized in a country and events divided in different cities and different regions according to the infrastructure and different facilities necessary to every sport,” Vizer said. “And, of course, in a period convenient for all international federations.”
The location of the first championships hasn’t been determined.
“I have the intention to establish offices worldwide and one of the countries which is part of this program can also be the first organizer,” Vizer said.
Vizer’s event would seem to pose a threat to the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Games. It could also conflict with existing world championships in high-profile sports such as track and field and swimming.
But Vizer, who has been president of the International Judo Federation since 2007, sought to downplay any rivalry with the IOC.
“I don’t think they have to be worried because it’s a different event with a different background, a different strategy,” he said. “And of course we will do everything in partnership, agreement with all international sports organizations.”
Vizer said he has not discussed the plans with IOC President Jacques Rogge, who steps down in September after 12 years in the job.
Rogge told reporters that Vizer’s proposal goes against the position of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, an umbrella body of the 28 sports in the games.
“ASOIF not later than 10 days ago came up with a declaration that the international program is already too congested and that there are too many events,” Rogge said. “So this is something that has to be discussed not only between the IOC and SportAccord, but also within SportAccord itself.”
Rogge said he expects Vizer to meet with his successor after September’s election to discuss collaboration.
Vizer described his proposed championships as a “commercial” venture to support national federations and dispelled the notion it would compete with the Olympics.
“The Olympics are something very different and special,” he said. “They are the highest value which we have today in sport.”
Vizer said he has been in touch with sponsors and broadcasters about the project but declined to give details. “
Igor Mazurenko, Mircea Simionescu-Simicel, Assen Hadjitodorov, Alexander Filimonov, David Shead │ EAF Congress 2013 Photo Source:Armpower.NET – EAF CONGRESS
” The issue of the WAF website, which was to be sold to WAF for $ 50,000 by a person associated with the previous WAF management, was also settled. EAF recommended to create a completely new website for WAF.
The www.worldarmwrestlingfederation.com website is no longer the official website of the WAF.
The current address of the official WAF website is:
www.waf-armwrestling.com
Another important change is connected with the number of doping tests. Instead o 20, there will be 40 doping tests carried out at European and World Championships. This number (40) of doping tests will also apply to disabled athletes.
Next issue raised during the Congress was the aspiration and accreditation of our sport in SPORTACCORD and formal issues related to that. Not all national federations have provided the necessary documentation to the EAF. So it was decided that if the national federation fails to submit the required documents by June 15, it will be obliged to pay a penalty of 2000 euros and will be deprived of the right to vote at the next congress.
The issue of new elbow pads will be discussed at the September Congress of the WAF.
Yesterday’s Congress was of course videotaped and we will soon present its course point by point. “
This is just a fragment from an article written on 8 May 2013, read the entire article onArmpower.NET – EAF CONGRESS
” I just had a conversation with Cobra today about this very subject. Simon did a ton of work and set up a crucial meeting with WAF and FILA. I have to say that it was a disaster, and our only way into the Olympics was mishandled. Now WAF has this feel good idea that if we just join this group called SportAccor”. Now don’t get me wrong there are some great associations that are a member of this body such as FILA that we have talked about in the past but the IOC is not adding sports and have called for less and not more. […]”
FILA was greatly astonished by today’s recommendation of the IOC Executive Board not to maintain wrestling among the 25 core sports for the 2020 Olympic Games. FILA will take all necessary measures to convince the IOC Executive Board and IOC members of the aberration of such decision against one of the founding sports of the ancient and modern Olympic Games. FILA has always complied with the IOC regulations and is reprensented in 180 countries, with wrestling being the national sport in a fair amount of them and the only possibility for athletes to represent their country at the Olympic Games, thus contributing to their universality.
The FILA Bureau will meet in Phuket (THA) on 16-17 February and will address this issue in view of the presentation of wrestling in front of the IOC Executive Board in St-Petersburg next May.
Letter from WAF General Secretary Mr. Willy Denemostier
I thank all the presidents, officials and competitors of the confidence they have repeated for the next four years as general secretary in the world armwrestling federation. I hope they let me do my job to the best interests of everyone, especially the folder “sportaccor.” I have heard many criticisms of the action our President Fred Roy on this issue and I want to clarify things. We are trying since 2009 to close this case so important for many fédérations.Monsieur Roy and his team have all that it is complete and can be sent to the commission of aggregation “sport accorded. ‘ Unfortunately, some are struggling to slow the process and do not comply with the obligations in this matter. I therefore send you the full file “sport accorded” that you can see and I invite you to send me all the documents required for the preparation of this case. And I hope to introduce to the Committee for the year 2013. You are, therefore, free to prepare all documents, send me duly sealed and signed, and until December 24 of this year. Spend this time, organizations will not provide the necessary documents will be fined $ 500 us and other sanctions will be taken by the disciplinary committee of the WAF. I also invite all continental federations to provide us also their records and complete application “sportacccor.”
You should consult the list of documents that must be provided by all federations affiliated to the WAF and supply in the shortest possible time.
Thanking you for your diligence and hoping this time that everyone working in the right direction, receive, greetings sports.
Willy Deneumostier Waf’s general secretary
Please see attached file for French and Russian Translations.
