The IOC "withdrew its recognition and funding for SportAccord on Sunday and called on international federations to reshape the umbrella body that has been torn apart" by former SportAccord President Marius Vizer's attack on Olympic leaders, according to the AP. The board, chaired by IOC President Thomas Bach, "called for a complete restructuring of SportAccord, which had represented Olympic and non-Olympic federations." More than two dozen federations "have withdrawn or suspended ties with SportAccord since Vizer, its president since 2013, blasted the IOC and Bach in a speech in Sochi, Russia, in April." Vizer "resigned as president a week ago, leaving SportAccord's future in doubt." The IOC said, "We are suspending our recognition and we will withhold our funding until these questions are answered and an agreement between the stakeholders has been reached." The IOC said that it provides about $300,000 annually to SportAccord, including $160,000 "for anti-doping programs" (AP, 6/7). REUTERS' Brian Homewood wrote the IOC said in a statement that it would support the federations "in all the initiatives being taken to restructure their representation following the serious internal problems of SportAccord." It said, "We do not want the clean athletes to suffer in any way from this vacuum. We are offering the international federations concerned all the services and advice in the fight against doping which have been offered so far by SportAccord and financed by the IOC and WADA" (REUTERS, 6/7).
