Asia’s role looms large in IOC polls

MANILA, Philippines - Although Asia’s two candidates fared poorly at the recent International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidential elections in Buenos Aires, there was no doubt the region played a key role in propelling German lawyer Thomas Bach to the seat of power in the world’s most dominant sports organization.

Six candidates squared off to succeed Belgium’s Dr. Jacques Rogge as IOC president – Bach, AIBA president Dr. Ching Kuo Wu of Taiwan, businessman Ng Ser Miang of Singapore, former Russian pole vault record holder Sergey Bubka, Swiss lawyer Denis Oswald and Puerto Rican banker Richard Carrion. The first casualty was Dr. Wu who has recently been under fire for launching two professional platforms in AIBA and opening the Olympic doors to professionals with certain stipulations. Dr. Wu, 66, even invited Manny Pacquiao to affiliate with AIBA and represent the Philippines at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, provided he qualifies through the elimination process.

In the first round of voting, Dr. Wu and Ng were tied for last place. Ng, 64, was the first Asian elected to the IOC Executive Board in 2005. His background in business covers banking, transportation and retail marketing. The deadlock was broken by a run-off where Ng eliminated Dr. Wu. Five candidates were left in the second round of voting which ended with Bach garnering 49 ballots, Carrion 29, Ng six, Oswald five and Bubka four.

No Asian has ever held the IOC presidency and Bach is the eighth European of nine previous heads with American Avery Brundage the only exception. The first IOC president was Demetrius Vikeelas of Greece in 1894-96. Baron Pierre de Coubertain of France ruled in 1896-1925, his term interrupted when he joined the Army during World War I in 1916-19. The third IOC president was Henri de Baillet-Latour of Belgium in 1925-42 followed by Brundage in 1952-72. Lord Michael Killanin of Ireland presided in 1972-80 then Juan Antonio Samaranch of Spain in 1980-2001. Rogge was president for 12 years. Now, the term is fixed for eight years.

Asia loomed large in the elections because Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Association of National Olympic Committees president Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah of Kuwait openly campaigned for Bach. Al-Sabah, 50, is a flamboyant, long-haired “operator” known as a “kingmaker” in the sports kingdom. Because of his direct access to 205 NOCs to which he dispenses $400 Million of IOC funds, Al-Sabah carries a lot of weight as an influential player in the corridors of sports power. He was widely known as the chief backer of Bahranian Salman Al-Khalifa’s ascension as Asian Football Confederation president and Romania-born Hungarian Marius Vizer’s rise as president of SportAccord.

Al-Sabah denied any wrong-doing in supporting Bach’s bid. Critics said Bach’s close association with the Kuwait power broker may lead to partiality in deciding on issues involving Asia. Al-Sabah’s influence was also noted in Tokyo gaining the right to host the 2020 Olympics and wrestling’s reinstatement in the Olympic program after beating the bids of baseball-softball and squash to enter the calendar.

A splash of dirt tainted the elections when Bach was accused of using a wet glove to short-circuit or disable the electronic scoring system when he competed as a fencer in the 1970s, and of bribing athletes when he worked for Adidas in the 1980s. He was also named in the East German security agency Stasi files for influence-peddling and described as anti-Israeli. Bach is rumored to have business deals with Al-Sabah who is the Kuwait Minister of Security with vast commercial interests. A defeated candidate, Oswald said he was uncomfortable with the link between Bach and Kuwait.

Bach dismissed the accusations as baseless. “There is no kingmaker,” said the 59-year-old Bach, a gold medalist with the German foil team at the 1976 Olympics. Bach assured that he made no promises to anyone in terms of returning political favors but “I’m willing to discuss many issues” facing the IOC. Bach has been an IOC delegate since 1991.

Another Asian prominently mentioned at the recent 125th IOC conclave in Buenos Aires was equestrienne Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, the only Asian of nine newly-elected members. The other new members were American Larry Probst, Russian Alexander Zhukov, Kenyan Paul Tergat, Swedish Stefan Holm, Brazilian Bernard Rajzman, Romanian Octavian Morariu, Ethiopian Dagmawit Girmay Berhane and Dutch Camiel Eurlings.

Cojuangco-Jaworski, 39, is not the youngest IOC member. There are at least three younger members – the UK’s Adam Pengilly, 35, Switzerland’s Patrick Baumann, 31 and the US’ Angela Ruggiero, 33. Baumann is the FIBA secretary-general. The 2002 Busan Asian Games individual showjumping gold medalist is the 21st female IOC member and one of 10 from East, South and Southeast Asia. China has three members, South Korea two and Singapore, Chinese-Taipei, Japan, India and the Philippines one each. Another Filipino Frank Elizalde recently relinquished his IOC membership after turning 80, the mandatory retirement age, but remains with the body as a non-voting delegate and chairman of the Ethics and Nominations Committees.