SportAccord President Marius Vizer has compiled a detailed reform agenda ahead of a proposed meeting with his International Olympic Committee (IOC) counterpart Thomas Bach next month, with the introduction of prize money for Olympic athletes among the most startling items for discussion.
On Tuesday (May 19), Vizer invited Bach and Francesco Ricci Bitti, head of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), to hold a meeting in either Lausanne or Paris between June 5 and 7, claiming there is a need for “open and honest discussions for the benefit of sport” following the fallout from last month’s SportAccord Convention in Sochi.
The 20-point agenda, which has been communicated to Bach, Ricci Bitti and the Presidents of all International Federations (IFs), covers a wide range of issues but arguably the most eye-catching is the proposed introduction of prize money for Olympic athletes, which would go against one of the IOC’s core values if granted.
