Bobsleigh Suspends SportAccord Membership

(ATR)The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (FIBT) is the first winter sports body to suspend its membership of SportAccord, the umbrella association of Olympic and non-Olympic federations.

During the opening of the SportAccord Convention in Sochi last month, SportAccord president Marius Vizer harshly criticized the IOC and its work on Olympic Agenda 2020.

"Mr. President, stop blocking the SportAccord strategy in its mission to identify and organize competitions and multi-sport Games," Vizer said as he addressed IOC president Thomas Bach.

"Do not interfere in the autonomy of the sport organizations," he added, noting that SportAccord is "the unique platform that unites all of the international federations."

Since then, Vizer has not backed down from his comments and the FIBT says Vizer's perspective does reflect the opinion of its federation.

Multiple international sports federations have pulled out the 2017 World Combat Games, an event pioneered by SportAccord.

Boxing, taekwondo, andwrestling pulled out of the Lima-hosted event last week followed boxing in pulling out of the Lima-hosted event.The international federations have also suspended their membership of SportAccord.

The president of the International Ice Hockey Federation, Rene Fasel, hasplayed down the confrontation between Vizer and Bach.

Fasel, the former president of the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations, expressed hope for a peaceful end to the controversy sparked by Vizer's comments.

Almost all 27 members of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations put their signatures to a letter denouncing Vizer's speech last month, supporting ASOIF's decision to suspend its membership with the organization.

So far, SportAccord has not responded requests for comment from Around the Rings.

The ASOIF Council is expected to convene in July to further discuss its future with SportAccord.

Written byNicole Bennett

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