AN astonishing rift has split the sports world this week in Sochi, where Marius Vizer, head of SportAccord, branded the International Olympic Committee: "expired, outdated, wrong, unfair, and not at all transparent."
In a blatant power-play, and with Olympic president Thomas Bach among his listeners, he suggested the movement could be "headed for destruction" if it does not grant the federations more power.
The stakes could not be higher - nothing more than control of world sport. Vizer's attack provoked an immediate reaction. Lamine Diack, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, immediately withdrew from SportAccord, quickly followed by shooting. The two presidents were among 14 global governing body leaders, including FIFA's Sepp Blatter, who signed a letter disagreeing with Vizer's views, and deploring his tone.
Archery and canoeing have since suspended membership, and cycling was already considering doing so before the council of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations unanimously decided yesterday to break off ties pending a review and clarification of SportAccord's role and governance.
The International Paralympic Committee withdrew its associate membership. Describing the IOC as its "most trusted long-term partner" IPC chief executive Xavier Gonzalez pointed to the manner in which the Paralympics had become the world's third biggest sporting event, as evidence of the benefit of working closely with the IOC.
The Winter federations stopped short of withdrawal yesterday, but hope for "constructive dialogue". The ASOIF general assembly meets in Sochi today, and meltdown could be complete. They have already declared Vizer's position incompatible with "the role and mission of ASOIF as a major stakeholder of the Olympic movement."
ASOIF represents the 28 Summer sports, including the International Judo Federation of which Vizer is also president. They were the only sport not to withdraw.
The SportAccord Convention is a global sport and business summit bringing together all levels of sport, media, suppliers, art, culture and visitors, providing a platform to access key decision-makers, promote events and develop new business opportunities.
SportAccord represents more than 100 Olympic and non-Olympic federations and Vizer, re-elected unopposed on Monday to a four-year term as president, is demanding more power for the organisation. He claimed federations have been sidelined in Bach's "Olympic Agenda 2020" reforms, and that the IOC's $450m Olympic digital channel, due to launch this year, was approved with no clear business plan.
The Romanian added: "History demonstrated that all the empires who reached the highest peaks of development never reformed on time and they are all headed for destruction. The IOC system today is expired, outdated, wrong, unfair and not at all transparent."
His attack comes in the wake of an IOC decision to abandon its tradition of holding an executive board meeting during the convention.
The IOC received a direct threat to their existence with Vizer's proposal for a "United World Championships" for all sports federations, to be held every four years. However, that plan has stalled. "I made a number of proposals in favour and for the benefit of IFs but we have never received a positive reaction," said Vizer. Then, directly addressing Bach, he said: "Mr. President, please stop blocking the SportAccord strategy in its mission to identify and organize conventions and multi-sport games."
The fourth edition of the World Mind Games concluded in Beijing in December, and SportAccord have ambitions for World Beach Games, Urban Games, and Combat Games.
It's clear how such events could threaten the Olympic movement which is challenged in appealing to a younger audience.
Events such as Vizer proposes, if successful, could undermine IOC revenue, sponsorship TV rights, and advertising streams.
Diack, whom Sebastian Coe is attempting to succeed as IAAF president, branded Vizer: "a chief or dictator coming from nowhere".
As the main Olympic sport, but one which did not enjoy great sympathy from former IOC president Jaques Rogge, athletics' prompt support might be interpreted as a plea from Diack for financial support from Rogge's successor, Bach.
Athletics' supremacy has been undermined by the elevation of swimming and gymnastics alongside track and field to tier-one of Olympic sports, which will reduce athletics' share of money. Revenues from the 2016 Olympics are about to be discussed in Sochi. Vizer demanded a greater share for international federations and athletes, and he wants serving sports officials to be guaranteed a majority of votes in the IOC, and a greater say in selecting Olympic host cities. His game seems nothing less than an attempt to launch a movement to rival the IOC.
Bach said Vizer's views were not representative of SportAccord's member federations - remarks which seem supported by the reaction yesterday.
The IAAF long since rejected Vizer's proposal for a united world event, and with their next three World Championship venues agreed, there is no glimmer of hope for Vizer. Without athletics, the primary sport, Vizer may be trading on the margins, but he remains a threat, and the inaugural European Games, in Baku this June, are organised by Europe's national Olympic committees, and may be seen as a shot across Vizer's bows.
The Sochi convention must be a disappointment to exhibitors who include EventScotland, a silver partner, and the Commonwealth Games Federation, a bronze one. Public traffic has been reduced, not least because of the absence of the IOC power-makers. This is normally a chance for the movers, shakers and decision-makers of international sport to meet and do business. But this year's edition has had reduced numbers and is consequently devalued.
The IAAF withdrawal did not prevent them going ahead yesterday with the Nestlé Kids' Athletics programme, showcasing one of the biggest grassroots development projects in sport. It covers 120 countries and is held up as a blueprint by the IOC. It took place outside what was the Winter Olympic broadcast centre.
The event is due to return next year. Hopefully there will be less discord at SportsAccord.
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