Kasper Leads Crunch Meeting on SportAccord Future

(ATR) Ski chief Gian Franco Kasper will chair a meeting of the SportAccord Council on Monday to discuss the succession plan for Marius Vizer, Around the Rings has learned.

Vizer quit as SportAccord president on Sunday following mounting criticism of his bitter attack on the IOC at SportAccord Convention in Sochi in April. More than two dozen federations have suspended their relationship with the body in the aftermath.​

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SportAccord director general Vlad Marinescu tells ATR that the scheduled council meeting on June 8 will go ahead as planned.

The IOC Executive Board meets June 7-8 with SportAccord’s role in the Olympic Movement a talking point.

"This council meeting was previously called to take place before the meeting between Mr. Vizer and Mr. Ricci Bitti," Marinescu confirmed of the planned talks between the now-departed SportAccord president and ASOIF leader.

"Following the recent events, the agenda of the meeting has been updated and will be chaired, in accordance with SportAccord statutes, by senior vice president, Mr. Gian Franco Kasper."

Top of the agenda is who will be appointed on an interim basis to lead SportAccord and the procedure to select a new president – if it is agreed that the umbrella body for IFs even has a future.

Other issues to resolve include how to revive relations with those federations who have suspended ties with SportAccord, Marinescu’s position and the future of other SportAccord staff in Lausanne.

Discussions will also focus on the future of multi-sport events like the Combat Games, Beach Games and Urban Games.

Also topics for debate are what happens to the SportAccord Convention in 2016 set for Sochi in the coming years in Russia, and what happens to the recently-opened Russian office.

Marinescu told ATR he is not sure if he will stay in the sports industry.

"However, as a responsible manager in charge of the SportAccord administration, I plan to execute and fulfill the obligations and duties of this position and dedicate myself to a smooth transition ensuring a detailed and effective hand-over to the next leadership of SportAccord," he said.

His lists three main objectives: protection and management of the dedicated and professional SportAccord staff; "survival and continuation of the SportAccord projects that the members are using and find beneficial;" and transparent and complete transfer of knowledge / obligations / status / accounts / reports / etc. so that the

organization may continue in the direction and course as directed by the stakeholders.

Several federations contacted by ATR in the wake of Vizer’s resignation said they would not comment on his departure until an ASOIF meeting, which is due to take place next month.

One Olympic source told ATR that Kasper may not cope or wish to take on the increased workload that goes with the SportAccord leadership.

"This goes for all council members," the source said, questioning how SportAccord could survive in its current incarnation without some revamp of its vision and direction.

Finding a suitable SportAccord Convention host city was also an important issue and could only be done "together with the IOC."

Written by Mark Bisson

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