On the Scene in Mexico City - Mario Vazquez Rana Reelected by Acclamation

(ATR) Mario Vazquez Rana will serve another four years as president of the Pan American Sports Organization.

Vazquez Rana was reelected by a vote of acclamation at the PASO General Assembly, underway in Mexico City.

The vote was taken by applause, and video of the vote showed that not all delegates applauded during the vote.

"I know not everybody was pleased but this is how sports are," Vazquez Rana said after the vote.

"Among sportsmen there is only one winner. Second place never wins. Here there was only one. That’s why I won."

Before the vote, a sometimes contentious discussion of the voting process took place among delegates.

Dominican Republic Olympic Committee president Luis Mejia Oviedo called for a secret ballot, even though Vazquez Rana was unopposed. Mejia Oviedo noted that he couldn’t find justification for a vote by acclimation in either PASO statutes or the Olympic Charter, but noted the October 2009 reelection of IOC president Jacques Rogge, who was also unopposed but faced a secret ballot .

"Secret voting is too difficult because some NOCs have two votes, some have one," Vazquez Rana said.

"I am the only candidate. I have no problems. If you vote against me raising your hands you will still be my friends. We are trying to be truthful. If there are one, two, three that vote against me, I will not be mad. My purpose is to serve you."

The procedural vote came down to three choices: a vote by a raising of hands, a secret ballot and a vote of acclamation. Fourteen NOCs voted to hand-raising,and seven for a secret ballot.

Vazquez Rana seemed to address any criticisms of theprocedure from Mejia Oviedo, who interjected multiple times with pleas for a secret ballot at the end of procedural discussion.

"A more democratic process?" he asked.

"Impossible. But please consider that your proposal was also voted. That’s why you got seven votes. So are we going to be against majority?

"If I want to be democratic, then we have to do what the majority truly wants to do."

In his opening address, Vazquez Rana said he was inspired to run for another term following the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara.

"Years ago, I had my intentions for Guadalajara to be my last activity," he said.

"You are witnesses to what has happened. One year before the Pan American Games, all of us were under so much stress whether the games would be held in Guadalajara or not.

"After the Games, the place where I would like to say goodbye, The Pan American Games became the best Games."

He said he wants Toronto 2015 to surpass Guadalajara 2011.

"If we make an effort we can place the Canadian Games at the level of the best Games or even at the level of the Olympic Games. Therefore we are absolutely sure that they will organize the best Pan American Games.

"That’s why I didn’t want to retire from Guadalajara."

Written by Ed Hula III.

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