The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is not transparent enough and blocks attempts for other multi-sports events, SportAccord President Marius Vizer said in a scathing attack on the IOC. International judo federation president Vizer, whose SportAccord organisation represents close to 100 Olympic and non-Olympic sports federations and organisers of multi-sports games, said IOC President Thomas Bach interfered with the autonomy of sporting bodies.

 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is not transparent enough and blocks attempts for other multi-sports events, SportAccord President Marius Vizer said in a scathing attack on the IOC. International judo federation president Vizer, whose SportAccord organisation represents close to 100 Olympic and non-Olympic sports federations and organisers of multi-sports games, said IOC President Thomas Bach interfered with the autonomy of sporting bodies. But his speech triggered instant reaction with the world athletics federation IAAF withdrawing its SportAccord membership and 15 federations, including soccer's FIFA and IAAF, signing a letter opposing the comments.

"I always tried to develop a constructive collaboration with the IOC and with President Bach," Vizer said at the opening of the SportAccord convention in Russia's Sochi. "Unfortunately, it never became reality," he said. "Mr President, stop blocking the SportAccord strategy in its mission to identify and organise conventions and multi-sport games. Do not try to create a theory around which sports are and are not eligible for multi-sport games," he said.

The IOC has had an uneasy relationship with Vizer, who took over SportAccord in 2013 and unsuccessfully attempted to set up his own international multi-sports event, the United world Games. The federations, including football, swimming, athletics, sailing, hockey, badminton, shooting and triathlon among others, also backed Bach and his Agenda 2020 reforms.

 

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Olympics: "SportAccord President Attacks the IOC"