The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), which brings together the 205 recognized in the world, has criticized “the regrettable lack of solidarity and respect for other sports” exhibited by FIFA when announcing “without prior consultation” its plans to organize a soccer world cup every two years.
“The 205 committees share the concern expressed by many parties within the sports movement regarding the threat that a World Cup every two years would pose to the survival of sports other than football,” says ANOC in a resolution approved at the end of the assembly. held in Crete (Greece).
The FIFA proposal, the statement adds, if carried out “will increase the congestion of the global sports calendar” and will have “a negative effect” on other national, regional and continental competitions.
“In addition, it will negatively affect the health of footballers,” says ACNO.
The national committees also heard an activity closure report from the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee, presented by CEO Toshiro Muto.
The leader pointed out that more than a million covid controls were carried out during the Games, with only 0.03% positive.
ANOC approves in its final declaration the report presented by the acting president of the organization, the Fijian Robint Mitchell, and “takes note” of his intention to stand for re-election when elections to the presidency are held next year.
Mitchell has been acting president since 2018, when the Kuwaiti Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah resigned due to his problems with the justice; last month he was sentenced to 14 months in prison.
The 75-year-old Fijian leader has a reserved seat on the IOC Executive Committee as ANOC president. If he is reelected, he will hold office until he is 80 years old.
A week ago the president of Panam Sports, the Chilean Neven Ilic, told Efe his “availability” to preside over ANOC if it was considered that his candidacy could “serve” the organization, although he added that there were many people ready and that he did not tasks were lacking in the Pan-American organization. EFE (HN)