(ATR) The new president for the 2018 Winter Olympics should be on the job next week.
With the games in PyeongChang just 20 months away, organizers are acting quickly to fill the job that opened this week with the snap resignation of Yang Ho Cho after less than two years on the job. Cho resigned to attend to the financial crisis affecting his family owned shipping company.
Just hours after Cho resigned May 3, the Korean government put forward the name of Hee Beom Lee, a former minister of energy, to take over the presidency.
Today his name was approved by the PyeongChang 2018 executive committee. On May 12 a specially called meeting of the organizing committee general assembly is expected to ratify the vote. That will be followed by the pro forma approval by the Korean minister of tourism.
Lee, 65, is said to be a well-regarded executive who has led businesses and government departments in his career. He was educated as an electronics engineer.
While he has no experience with sport or the Olympics, Lee has the support of the international ski federation.
"FIS looks forward to working closely with and supporting the new President and leadership team. The next goal for FIS is to collaborate with the new leadership to deliver outstanding 2016/17 test events for our remaining disciplines. FIS has already established a very good working relationship with Secretary General Yeo who was heavily involved with delivery of the 2015/16 test events," says a federation statement to Around the Rings.
With the return of Cho to his corporate role at Hanjin, PyeongChang 2018 will lose its international communications expert. Muchol Shin tells ATR he will be leaving to return to Korean Air where he has served as communications director and a long time aide to Cho, who is chairman of the airline, part of the Hanjin Group.
Reports from Korea have said that creditors were demanding Cho devote his full attention to salvaging Hanjin Shipping, Korea’s number one container company. The firm is trying to restructure nearly $6 billion debt. A committee of creditors is said to have accepted a rescue plan from the company, that approval coming just 24 hours after Cho announced his resignation from his Olympic duties.
Written by Ed Hula.
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
