Peru Olympics Chief Keeps His Post

(ATR) Peru Olympic Committee president José Quiñones wins a vote of confidence with a unanimous rejection of his resignation by the national sports federations of the NOC.

"I will do my best to deserve this support from the National Federations," said Quiñones by email after the January 23 vote in Lima.

"Today I renewed my commitment of working for their development."

The vote appears to put to rest fears of a leadership crisis in Peru after Quiñones offered his resignation earlier this month following criticism from a member of the Peruvian Congress.

Two weeks ago the executive committee of the Peruvian NOC also rejected the resignation.

The vote Friday came just hours after Quiñones landed in Lima from Europe where he and other members of the bid team for the 2021 World Games had made their final pitch for the event. Lima did not win; Birmingham, Alabama was chosen by the leadership of the World Games Association.

The loss put an end to a winning streak for Lima which has scored well in hosting international meetings and sports events for the Olympic Movement. In 2013 Lima hosted the IOC Sport for All convention. The 2017 IOC session was just awarded to the Peruvian capital and 2019 will bring the Pan-American Games, the biggest ever event Lima will have hosted.

Quiñones is associated with those events, campaigning for the bids as well as playing a role in the leadership of each one.

There had been talk in the days after Quiñones offered his resignation that Santiago, Chile was going to make a move to wrest the Pan Ams from Lima. But NOC leaders in Chile have made it clear there is no such interest. Santiago and an Argentinian city were runners-up to Lima for 2019.

Facilities needed for the Pan Am Games in Lima have been under construction for a couple of years now and are nearing completion.

A technical delegation from the Pan-American Sports Organization is scheduled to visit Lima to review preparations.

Written by Ed Hula.