A major schism between International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and his SportAccord counterpart Marius Vizer was made public for the first time here today.
Vizer used his opening speech at SportAccord's General Assembly to accuse Bach of trying to block projects he has tried to introduce, criticised the launch of the Olympic TV Channel as a waste of money and accused the IOC of lack of transparency and claimed that Agenda 2020 had brought "hardly any benefit" to sport.
Vizer also called for International Federations to be given a greater say in the future of the IOC and for a fairer distribution of money.
Bach reteliated by claiming Vizer's views were out of step with the International Federations, who make up SportAccord, the umbrella organisation for all Olympic and non-Olympic sports.
The exchange laid bare the animosity between Bach and Vizer, an open secret in the Olympic world for several months now.
"After becoming SportAccord President, I always tried to develop a constructive collaboration with the IOC and with President Bach," Vizer told nearly 200 delegates, including Association of National Olympic Committees President Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, a key ally of both men, gathered here.
"A collaboration based on respect towards the Olympic Movement, its members and the values in which I believe. Unfortunately, it never became reality.
"I made a number of proposals in favor and for the benefit of IFs and SportAccord but we have never received a positive reaction. Mr. President, stop blocking the SportAccord strategy in its mission to identify and organise conventions and multi-sport games.".
The hostility between the two men dates back to Vizer's proposal more than two years ago to launch the United World Games, an event that would combine the major championships of several sports in the same country during the same period.
It is an event that Bach fears threatens to undermine the uniqueness of the Olympics.
Vizer's plan has never moved beyond the drawing board but has led to a wound being opened which will clearly never be healed.
Vizer, who is also President of the International Judo Federation, has since privately claimed Bach has tried to block him at every opportunity by trying to block countries hosting some of the multi-sport Games he is planning to introduce to the calendar and warning sports they risked their place on the Olympic programme if they support him.
Vizer also believes that Bach has set out to undermine the SportAccord Convention, his organisation's main fundraising event of the year, by preventing cities bidding for the Olympics from making presentations and by withdrawing a meeting of the IOC's ruling Executive Board which has always been held alongside the event since it was first launhed in 2003.
"The voting for potential host cities of the Olympic Games is compromised," Vizer said.
"Key stakeholders are excluded from making informed decisions when selecting Olympic host cities: the bid cities cannot present their candidatures at SportAccord Convention to all stakeholders, IOC members cannot visit bid cities and during the IOC Session, when the vote takes place, IF presidents - who are organisers of the Olympic Games, are obliged to leave the room."
In a wide-ranging attack, Vizer also hit out at Agenda 2020, Bach's great reform of the Olympic Movement designed to make it a more modern and tranpsarent organisation and claimed that the International Federations had not been consulted fully.
"The Agenda 2020 was promoted as a platform, which would bring reforms to the world of sport and benefits for all stakeholders," he said.
"However, the interests of the International Federations were not properly addressed.
"The Agenda 2020 hardly brings any real benefit to sport, to IFs, or athletes.
"It did not bring about more clear criteria, rules and principles.
The Olympic TV Channel, one of the key proposals of Agenda 2020, was dismissed as having no clear business plan and strategy and was criticised for spending more than $450 million.
"The launch of an Olympic channel was very surprising," said Vizer.
"The IOC Members voted in December 2014, in the IOC Session, unilaterally, without a clear business plan, a commercialisation plan and project, to reduce the dividends to International Federations in order to establish the Olympic Channel.
"Leaving from the premise that the Olympic Movement has the assets, any business project in the world needs a business plan, investors, professional partners, breakeven points, strategy, consultation with stakeholders - International Federations and to generate a benefit for all stakeholders.
"Only after the decision it appears that a plan is in process.
"At the same time, the cost of more than $450 million to establish a digital channel seems exaggerated.
"Do consult us as stakeholders of the Olympic Movement regarding all the proposals, contracts and partnerships that are being signed and make them transparent.
Vizer also criticised the amount of money host cities spend on Cermonies at Olympics.
"Why invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Opening and Cosing ceremonies, while millions of athletes live in hunger and they don’t stand a chance in sport due to the lack of proper conditions?" he said.
"If indeed the IOC distributes $3.25 million a day, every day of the year, for the development of sport worldwide, why do millions of athletes suffer and cannot enjoy or reach performances in sport?
"Together, SportAccord and IOC must find a solution to compensate National Federations and athletes from their events.
"Today, the money invested in sport never reaches the athletes and their families.
"SportAccord and the International Federations are already providing prize money to their athletes in competitions, in an effort to compensate for this."
Vizer also said that the International Federations should hold the balance of power when it came to making decisions within the IOC rather than people not directly involved with sport.
"According to the Olympic Charter, the total number of IOC Members may not exceed 115, out of which only 45 are the ones directly involved in sport: 15 representatives of the IFs, 15 of the NOCs, 15 of the athletes," said Vizer, who is not an IOC member.
"This minority is the real royalty of the sport.
"In spite of this, during any vote, they can never determine change.
"In order to protect the real interests of sport, the majority of votes should belong to people in functions or offices related directly to sport."He also claimed serving Presidents should not be subject of age-limits, forcing them to give up their membership of the IOC when they reach the age of 70.
"The IOC system is expired, outdated, wrong, unfair and not at all transparent," said Vizer.
"The Olympic Games belong to all of us and we need real reforms."
Bach was clearly taken abck by Vizer's attack - which officials claimed he had no pre-warning of - and claimed that many of the International Federations, several of them headed by IOC members, had contributed to Agenda 2020 and supported the proposals.
"My impression is your opinion you have exclusively for you," said Bach, direclty Vizer.
He spent much longer than the original five minutes he had been allocated.
"I have been a little longer after this friendly welcome," he told delegates.
"What we need altogether is credibility.
"This credibility we can only achieve if we have unity in our diversity.
"I invite you to bring your diverse opinions to the table but then be united in our concerted effort."
Bach, however, faced another broadside from Vizer when he sat down afterwards.
"If you want to be respected, you have to be prepared to be fair," Vizer told him.
Long-time Olympic watchers compared this incident to what happened more than 30 years when Thomas Keller, then head of the President of the General Association of International Sports Federations, the forerunner to SportAccord, insisted that the International Federations should be the most important members of the Olympic Family.
That brought him into conflict with Juan Antonio Samaranch, then starting his 20-plus year reign as IOC President, who outmanoeuvred him as he brought the Olympic Movement back from the brink of bankruptcy and helped turn it into the hugely successful organisation it is today.
Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee ask Government for new housing policy to reward athletes
An official request to the Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Sport that the Government’s housing policy should reward national athletes for their service has been submitted by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC).
Led by Brian Lewis, the TTOC believe the issue requires urgent attention, telling Government Ministers that the athletes’ service for the country at Olympic, Paralympics and World Championship level needs to be recognised in the country’s housing policy.
Under the TTOC’s proposal they would recommend athletes who deserve merit for their services to Trinidad and Tobago, in conjunction with National Sporting Organisations, with athletes then benefiting from faster housing distribution.
Athletes would be required to meet the Housing Development Corporation’s (HDC) mortgage criteria and honour the mortgage obligations.
They argue that athletes dedicate years of their youthful lives, making sacrifices surrounding their careers, income and family life, in order to represent the country on the highest stage possible, but their dedication currently leaves them at a social and economic disadvantage.
TTOC believe the alteration to the Government’s housing policy would not only recognise the service of the country’s athletes on the world stage, but that it would have the benefit of helping athletes transition into life away from sport.
They told the Government that the proposal would help to remove an additional burden for athletes who are moving away from the competitive sporting environment whilst additionally ensuring security and providing a home for the athlete and their family after retirement.
The TTOC said they are proposing a similar policy for national athletes to a programme run by the HDC for members of the countries protective services.
Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee ask Government for new housing policy to reward athletes
An official request to the Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Sport that the Government’s housing policy should reward national athletes for their service has been submitted by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC).
Led by Brian Lewis, the TTOC believe the issue requires urgent attention, telling Government Ministers that the athletes’ service for the country at Olympic, Paralympics and World Championship level needs to be recognised in the country’s housing policy.
Under the TTOC’s proposal they would recommend athletes who deserve merit for their services to Trinidad and Tobago, in conjunction with National Sporting Organisations, with athletes then benefiting from faster housing distribution.
Athletes would be required to meet the Housing Development Corporation’s (HDC) mortgage criteria and honour the mortgage obligations.
They argue that athletes dedicate years of their youthful lives, making sacrifices surrounding their careers, income and family life, in order to represent the country on the highest stage possible, but their dedication currently leaves them at a social and economic disadvantage.
TTOC believe the alteration to the Government’s housing policy would not only recognise the service of the country’s athletes on the world stage, but that it would have the benefit of helping athletes transition into life away from sport.
They told the Government that the proposal would help to remove an additional burden for athletes who are moving away from the competitive sporting environment whilst additionally ensuring security and providing a home for the athlete and their family after retirement.
The TTOC said they are proposing a similar policy for national athletes to a programme run by the HDC for members of the countries protective services.
IAAF confirm single entry standards for Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Single entry standards for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games have been approved by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) at the world governing body’s Council meeting in Beijing.
Standards for 2016 World Indoor Championships were also released and next year’s Diamond League calendar approved.
The Olympic standards follow the pattern established by the IAAF for their 2015 World Championships in Beijing, in that single entry standards for each gender have been announced rather than A and B standards.
The Olympic standards are marginally higher in a number of cases.
For instance, World Championships marks for the women’s 100m of 11.33sec, men’s 400m 45.50, men’s 800m 1min 46.00sec, men’s 1500m 3:36.20, men’s high jump 2.28 metres and men’s pole vault 5.65 increase respectively at the Olympics to 11.32, 45.40, 1:45.80, 3:36.00, 2.29m and 5.70m.
This new unified qualification system was announced at the IAAF Council meeting in Monaco in November.
It is likely to improve the overall quality of the event, but may result in some countries struggling to field a wide range of competitors.
The old system allowed countries whose athletes failed to fill any of their three allotted places through gaining a higher mark to select a single athlete on the strength of a B qualifying standard.
According to the IAAF, the unified entry standards - broadly speaking, a little below old A category but above B category - will combine with invitations which will effectively tighten up overall qualification standards, allowing them to standardise entries, which will in turn help organisers to anticipate the required provision of facilities such as hotel rooms and transport.
Athletics action at Rio 2016 is due to take place from Friday August 12 to Sunday August 21.
The timetable and entry standards for the IAAF World Indoor Championships to be held in Portland, United States, from March 18 until 20, 2016, have also been decided.
The 2016 IAAF Diamond League calendar was also approved, opening with the Doha meeting on May 7 and ending with the finals in Zurich and Brussels on September 2 and 10 respectively.
The full entry standards can be read at
IAAF Rio 2016 standards.pdf
New artificial turf agreement between top sports bodies
The Football Foundation, The Football Association, Rugby Football Union (RFU), England Hockey and Sport England have come together to establish a means of ensuring that the procurement and installation of the country's artificial grass pitches (AGPs) are of a consistent quality and price.
The new Framework Agreement ensures that suppliers, who have been handpicked on the basis of their expertise, always deliver quality, value-for-money, AGPs. This agreement comes at a time of increased demand for AGPs at the grassroots level.
This latest Framework Agreement follows the success of the previous agreement which was introduced in 2010. Over its four-year term, that initial Framework delivered more than 120 new AGPs for both football and rugby. Forecasts suggest that this new agreement, which is now accessible to an extensive list of Contracting Authorities, such as local authorities, schools and other sporting bodies irrespective of where the funding originates from, will deliver approximately 300 new and refurbished pitches over the next four years. It covers a range of artificial surfaces, including water-based and sand-based, as well as third generation (3G).
Robinson Low Francis LLP have been appointed as the Framework Managing Consultant working in partnership with Labosport Ltd and Surfacing Standards Ltd. who will provide technical design, inspection and accredited testing services.
Six suppliers and installers will undertake all of the work, these are: Fieldturf Tarkett SAS; Lano Sports NV; Limonta Smith JV Ltd.; Support in Sport (UK) Ltd.; TigerTurf (UK) Ltd and Thornton Sports Ltd.
Dave McDermott, Chief Operating Officer at the Football Foundation, speaking on behalf of the Framework Authorities said:
"This Framework Agreement is excellent news for grassroots sport. The handpicked suppliers have been selected because of their expertise in delivering first class facilities at affordable construction costs.
"The inaugural Framework Agreement proved to be a huge success as an effective mechanism for procuring and delivering high-quality AGPs, both at the point of completion and through the life of the facility. The high standards we demand are now both recognised and accepted by the AGP industry. Looking to the future, the new framework will provide an opportunity to build on this strong foundation and drive further benefit, economy and efficiency for a much broader clientele.
"Finally, I would like to thank Cameron Consulting Ltd and Withers LLP for their professional support during the procurement process".
Grateful for silver
Counting the blessings at AIPS America Games
To God be the glory.
On the bus ride to the table tennis venue at the 2nd AIPS America Games here in Manaus, Brazil, I said to myself I would honour God if I got the gold medal. But I quickly checked myself. Who am I to attach conditions when it comes to how my maker blesses me?
As it turned out, I got silver, and the glory goes to God. Had I bowed out of the tournament in the semifinal round, the quarters or even at the group stage, I would still owe God a debt of gratitude. It is He who opened up doors, presenting me with the opportunity to represent One Caribbean Media (OCM) and Trinidad and Tobago.
For the second time, I played Colombian Hernando Suarez in the AIPS America Games table tennis final. In Medellin, Colombia, two years ago, Suarez beat me in three straight games. This time it was a lot closer. I won the first two games, but Suarez battled back to win the next three, successfully defending his title, 9-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6.
I’m proud of my silver medal, and I left the venue knowing I had given my all. No one from OCM or T&T was there to witness the championship match, but I can say without fear of reproach that you were both well represented.
So, it’s silver again, and I’m grateful for putting T&T on the medal table for a second time. But that doesn’t take away from the pain. The worst placing in sport is fourth for it means just missing out on a medal. But second hurts as well, especially when gold was just a game away.
In Medellin, the table tennis tournament was staged at the end of the Games. On that occasion I was probably guilty of over-training. Twice a day was a bit much for my ageing body.
Here in Manaus, time and logistics allowed me just one training session. It worked out well. The anticipation ahead of competition is a bit much, especially since I have the tendency to over-analyse. So, jumping into early action is ample protection against the paralysis of analysis.
There was no Games transport available for training sessions, so I had to take a taxi and hope for the best. Fortunately, one of Brazil’s top para players was at the venue, and I was able to get in a few practice games close to midday on Tuesday. This guy plays at a very high standard. In fact, there are few able-bodied players in T&T who can beat him, so the preparation was more than adequate.
I went into the tournament a few hours later confident in all areas of my game.
However, during the first match in my round robin group I felt a muscle strain in my back. I refused to panic. I spoke to God, and I reflected on the excellence of Michael Jordan even when he was not physically at 100 percent.
I was guarded in my play at the group stage, and succeeded in getting past my opponents from Ecuador and Paraguay in straight games. Perhaps, you could look at the Ecuador win as revenge for T&T’s female footballers, who were stopped by the South Americans in their bid to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. I did make mention of that painful defeat in an interview with an Ecuador radio station at the end of the table tennis tournament.
In the quarter-final round, I played a Colombian with a “funny” rubber on his backhand. I knew I had to go hard at Mauricio Diaz, and not allow him to gain confidence in the “pimple” rubber. Back injury or not, he needed to feel my power. I blew past him in the opening game, and though he proved more difficult thereafter, I won in straight games, 11-1, 11-8, 11-8.
I also triumphed 3-0 in the semis, making light work of my opponent from Chile.
Then, it was time to take on the best player in the tournament. But as T&T’s best-ever player, Dexter St Louis told me in an encouraging email message, it is not the best player that wins but the best prepared. Thanks Dex.
At home, I played practice matches against Anthony “Sandfly” Brown and Terry Corbin, and had trained regularly with Richard, Wallen, Nkosi and Rodney. The camaraderie at the Community Centre in Diamond Vale, home venue of my club Solo Crusaders, keeps me training, even when I don’t want to. The support of Peter and “coach” Kevin would have come in handy here in Manaus.
And I do believe I would have won had Collin Cudjoe made the trip as manager/coach. He has a track record of success with touring T&T teams. Ask Dexter.
I was well prepared for this tournament, and it showed in the first two games. But Hernando was also prepared, and came storming back to keep his crown. My roommate/coach, Bolivian Jimmy Terrazas tried his best to help me over the line, but while I appreciated his motivational words, I needed some technical help.
Thanks Jimmy. You did your best. And so did I. My back injury did not act up in the final, the adrenaline keeping me going throughout the five games.
It was only at the end of the final that I realised how badly I wanted the win. For the first time in many years, I had to fight back tears at the end of a table tennis match.
Yes, I wanted gold. But I’m grateful to God that he blessed me with silver.