117 replies to this topic

[Athensfan]

I think the overall approach to membership structure can be improved upon. The number of members from a given country should be capped, as should the number of members from each continent -- irrespective of whether the members are athletes or not. I'm not faulting the athletes here. I'm questioning the overall structure that fails to insure sufficient equanimity.

[faster]

Athensfan, on 01 February 2012 - 09:15 PM, said:

I think the overall approach to membership structure can be improved upon. The number of members from a given country should be capped, as should the number of members from each continent -- irrespective of whether the members are athletes or not. I'm not faulting the athletes here. I'm questioning the overall structure that fails to insure sufficient equanimity.

There are limits, 2 per NOC. The Athletes Commission and all IF presidents are not counted in these numbers as they are there to represent the interest of athletes at large or the interest of the various federations. And again you idea of continents is misguided, as no continent votes as a block. Obviously shown by Munich's lose in 2018 as most European support went to PC. IOC members vote for national interests. Do you honestly believe that their will be a coalescing around Madrid or Rome? Japan worked feverishly against Pyeongchang in 2014 and Korea did the same to Tokyo in 2016.

Where a member is from is not important. The skills and knowledge of a member is, and there is where improvement is needed.

Edited by faster, 01 February 2012 - 10:04 PM.

[gotosy]

Italian Pescante resigns as IOC VP over Rome snub


Feb 21 (Reuters) - International Olympic Committee Vice President Mario Pescante resigned on Tuesday from his post after the Italian government refused to back a Rome 2020 Olympic bid, prematurely ending the capital's efforts to land the Games.
"We can confirm that Mario Pescante has resigned as IOC Vice-President," an IOC official told Reuters.
Pescante, one of Italy's most influential sports power brokers, told reporters he was unable to remain after the government last week dashed Rome's 2020 Games hopes by refusing to back the bid due to the country's belt-tightening measures.
Pescante, 73, who will remain as IOC member for Italy, had led the Rome bid until its sudden demise last week.
"I feel a bit embarrassed to be representing a country which has thrown in the towel early," Pescante told reporters, adding that Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti's snub had come far too late, only hours before the application deadline.
"Monti's decision was accepted with due respect but ...I must say my position in the IOC Executive is no longer compatible with my role."
...

Reuters

[baron-pierreIV]

gotosy, on 21 February 2012 - 12:07 PM, said:

Italian Pescante resigns as IOC VP over Rome snub


Feb 21 (Reuters) - International Olympic Committee Vice President Mario Pescante resigned on Tuesday from his post after the Italian government refused to back a Rome 2020 Olympic bid, prematurely ending the capital's efforts to land the Games.
"We can confirm that Mario Pescante has resigned as IOC Vice-President," an IOC official told Reuters.
Pescante, one of Italy's most influential sports power brokers, told reporters he was unable to remain after the government last week dashed Rome's 2020 Games hopes by refusing to back the bid due to the country's belt-tightening measures.
Pescante, 73, who will remain as IOC member for Italy, had led the Rome bid until its sudden demise last week.
"I feel a bit embarrassed to be representing a country which has thrown in the towel early," Pescante told reporters, adding that Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti's snub had come far too late, only hours before the application deadline.
"Monti's decision was accepted with due respect but ...I must say my position in the IOC Executive is no longer compatible with my role."
...

Reuters

I hope Anita de Frantz or Jim Easton moves into that newly vacant VP spot!!

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

So, it looks like bad blood now between CONI and the Government. Oh well, seems like there are SOME people who mis Berlusconi after all.

[Mainad]

Why has Pescante given up his role as IOC Vice-President just because the Italian government has pulled the plug on Rome's 2020 bid? Surely he's there to serve international Olympic aspirations and not just those of his home country?

Or am I being too naive about this?

[Gangwon]

Given his age, he realizes he'll likely never see another Italian Olympics in his lifetime, and this is probably his way of dealing with his disappointment.

[baron-pierreIV]

Mainad, on 21 February 2012 - 06:06 PM, said:

Why has Pescante given up his role as IOC Vice-President just because the Italian government has pulled the plug on Rome's 2020 bid? Surely he's there to serve international Olympic aspirations and not just those of his home country?

Or am I being too naive about this?

Obviously, he was motivated to continue only if his native Rome had a chance. But since positions at the IOC are voluntary anyway, anyone can quit anytime.

[Athensfan]

faster, on 01 February 2012 - 09:32 PM, said:

There are limits, 2 per NOC. The Athletes Commission and all IF presidents are not counted in these numbers as they are there to represent the interest of athletes at large or the interest of the various federations. And again you idea of continents is misguided, as no continent votes as a block. Obviously shown by Munich's lose in 2018 as most European support went to PC. IOC members vote for national interests. Do you honestly believe that their will be a coalescing around Madrid or Rome? Japan worked feverishly against Pyeongchang in 2014 and Korea did the same to Tokyo in 2016.

Where a member is from is not important. The skills and knowledge of a member is, and there is where improvement is needed.

The number of members who are athletes is capped at two per NOC -- there could still be multiple other non-athlete members representing the same NOC. I think there should be a max of 3 per NOC -- athletes or otherwise. This should not be difficult in a roughly 120 member organization.

I agree that experience and ability matter, but if the IOC is going to be truly global then it needs to stop favoring Europe so obviously.

[faster]

No its a limit of two permanent members per NOC, IF presidents and athletes commission members are not permanent, and therefore do not count against the 2 per NOC.

For instance, Great Britain has 4 members. Princess Anne and Craig Reedie are the permanent members of the IOC, Philip Craven is a member as long as he is president of the IPC and Adam Pengilly is a member until his term ends in 2018.

And many of the sports are still heavily European (football, handball, field hockey, all winter sports, fencing) and all but like 4 of the Olympic sports are from the European sports tradition. Therefore their strongest base is within Europe and the sports are most organized there as well.

And honestly the only region that is truly over-represented with regards to their sporting tradition is the Middle East.