(ATR) Around the Rings has learned that the IOC has issued a reprimand to the international wrestling federation for breaking the rules of conduct in the sports bidding race for the 2020 Olympics.
ATR has seen an IOC letter sent to the presidents of the two federations competing with wrestling for one spot on the Olympic program.
World Squash Federation chief N. Ramachandran along with Riccardo Fraccari and Don Porter, co-presidents of the World Baseball Softball Confederation, are copied on the letter dated Sept. 3. It is signed by IOC sports director Christophe Dubi and ethics commission secretary Pâquerette Girard Zappelli.
"It was recently brought to our attention that the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles and an organisation supporting them engaged in activities that were not in line with the "Rules of Conduct for the International Federations seeking inclusion in the Olympic Program," the IOC letter said.
"An official warning was sent to the International Federation on Friday, 30 August. The matter is now considered as closed."
ATR understands that the warning relates to a letter the Japan Wrestling Federation sent to some IOC members last month promoting the sport’s bid.
IOC rules prohibit the three sports campaigning in this way in the three-week window before the Sept. 8 IOC vote.
The incident is set to dominate wrestling's press conference in Buenos Aires today, it's only media briefing before Sunday's IOC vote when members will choose one sport for the 2020 Games.
In an interview with ATR, Nenad Lalovic, president of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, said FILA had alerted the IOC that the Japan Wrestling Federation had made a "mistake".
"FILA learned about it and reported to the IOC. The IOC said it was a minor infraction," Lalovic told ATR.
"There is nothing hidden. The story is closed."
The squash and baseball-softball bids are understood to be annoyed at the incident but are not reacting publicly.
After ATR witnessed Lalovic exchanging a joke with softball’s Don Porter in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel, he insisted the misconduct charge had not led to any ill-feeling between federation presidents. "It is not a problem," he added.
Heading into the final 48 hours of a seven-month campaign to save wrestling from the Olympic chop, Lalovic said the reprimand would not hurt the bid’s quest to regain its place on the program.
"I am optimistic," Lalovic said with a smile.
Reported by Mark Bisson
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
Últimas Noticias
Utah’s Olympic venues an integral part of the equation as Salt Lake City seeks a Winter Games encore
IOC president tells Olympic Movement “we will again have safe and secure Olympic Games” in Beijing
Boxing’s place in the Olympics remains in peril as IOC still unhappy with the state of AIBA’s reform efforts
IOC president details Olympic community efforts to get Afghans out of danger after Taliban return to power
North Korea suspended by IOC for failing to participate in Tokyo though its athletes could still take part in Beijing 2022
