ANOC Assembly Dates Confirmed

(ATR) The Association of National Olympic Committees will hold its 21st General Assembly in Doha, Qatar from November 13-16. It’s shaping up to be a very busy few days.

It will be the first time that the bid cities for the 2024 Summer Games will be allowed to make a formal presentation at an international event. Budapest, Los Angeles, Paris and Rome will all be seeking to make a favorable impression since the IOC limits the number of such presentations to three before voting on the host city in September 2017.

According to IOC rules, each candidate city can bring a maximum of 10 delegates and to the ANOC General Assembly, in addition to their country’s NOC delegation. Around the Rings is told each city may make a 15 minute presentation with six presenters. No distribution of documentation is allowed and "no press conferences or any other events or receptions may be organized by or on behalf of the bid."

Each bid city was allowed a 30 minute press conference at the Main Press Center in Rio de Janeiro during the Olympic Games. Budapest, Los Angeles and Paris took advantage of that opportunity while Rome cancelled its planned press conference.

The General Assembly is also likely to feature a few major changes for continental associations such as the European Olympic Committees and the Pan American Sports Organization.

The EOC could seek to elect a new president if there is a negative outcome in the Rio 2016 ticketing scandal concerning its provisionally-resigned president Patrick Hickey. Hickey stepped down from his responsibilities as an IOC executive and EOC president after being arrested by Brazilian authorities for his alleged involvement in ticket touting.

Hickey was released from Bangu Prison on Tuesday but is not allowed to leave Brazil until he goes to trial, a process that could take several months. If the trial is prolonged or if Hickey resigns or is convicted, the EOC would likely seek a change in leadership. EOC vice president Janez Kocijančič is serving as the acting president until the situation is resolved.

PASO could also welcome a new president after it ratifies its new constitution at the end of the assembly on Nov. 17, bringing an end to a process that began at the July 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto. Ideas and debate regarding PASO’s new constitution first took place at the PASO General Assembly prior to the event.

FINA president Julio Maglione has served as the interim president of PASO since former president Mario Vazquez Rana died in March 2015 after nearly 40 years at the helm of the organization. PASO is unable to elect a new president until its new statutes and constitution are put into effect.

PASO held a workshop in Brasilia in May where the statutes were approved by its NOC members. The draft was then sent to the IOC to ensure the revisions were in line with the Olympic Charter and Olympic Agenda 2020. PASO says the IOC requested minor changes to the wording to provide greater clarity but that the final version will be circulated at the PASO General Assembly on Nov. 17 for approval.

Written by Gerard Farek and Kevin Nutley.

Forgeneral comments or questions, click here.

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about theOlympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribersonly.