세계스포츠 최고지존, 절절한 사임심경 토로하다(사임 원문)

세계 스포츠 계 최고지존으로 33년 간 군림하여 왔던 Mario Vazquez Rana ANOC회장이 사임의 심경을 글로 적어 3월15일자보도자료로 전 세계에 배포하였다.
그는 비장하고 비통한 어조로 IOC집행위원 직 및 IOC올림픽 솔리다리티 위원장 직 사임서는 Jacques Rogge IOC위원장에게, 그리고 ANOC회장 사임서는 204개 5대륙 회원국가 올림픽 위원회와 Gunilla Lindberg ANOC사무총장에게 각각 제출하였음을 밝히고 있다.

(세계 스포츠 계 2대 최고 지존: Jacques Rogge IOC위원장 과 Mario Vazquez Rana ANOC회장)

치열한 물밑 공세와 치고 올라오는 차세대 대권주자들의 정년퇴임 압박으로 인해 세계 204개국 올림픽위원회 총연합회인 ANOC회장 Mario Vazquez Rana 는 드디어 그가 점하여 왔던 세계 스포츠 기구의 모든 권좌에서 물러나겠다는 의사 표명을 하기에 이르렀다.
그는 올해 만 80세로 IOC위원 정년에 해당되어 더 이상 ANOC회장 자격의 당연직 IOC집행위원 직을 고수할 수 없게 되었고 그 틈을 이용하여 차제에 그가 수장으로 있는 세계 스포츠 계 굵직한 타이틀을 모두 내려 놓으라는 무언의 압력이 가해지고 있었다.
다행이 그는 최근 범미주스포츠기구(미주 대륙 42개국 올림픽위원회 연합회)인 PASO회장(2012-2016)에 만장 갈채의 지지 속에 재선되었다.
그의 건재함이 증명되었다.
그러나 4월에 모스크바에서 개최 예정인 ANOC총회에서 그를 다시 ANOC회장에서 밀어내겠다는 움직임에 그는 명예로운 은퇴를 선택한 셈이다.

그의 사임 심경을 토로한 보도자료 안에 포함된 주요내용을 발췌하여 소개한다.

그는 은퇴를 표명하는 보도자료에서 "언어도단적이고 공격적"(outrageous and aggressive race)으로 대권을 쟁취하려는 경쟁구도라고 인용하였다.
그는 ANOC회장 직뿐만 아니라 IOC올림픽 솔리디리티위원장 직에서도 물러난다고 하면서 그의 사의 표명이 올림픽 운동에 대한 "사랑과 존중"으로 결심하게 되었다("love and respect" for the Olympic Movement)고 언급하고 있다.

그는 4쪽짜리 은퇴의사 표명의 글에서 ANOC대권도전의 중심부에 포진하고 있는 2명의 후보들에 대해 경멸감을 확실하게 표현하였다.
그 2명이란 Patrick Hickey EOC회장 겸 아일랜드 NOC위원장과 Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah OCA회장을 지칭한다.
그는 이 두 명의 대권 도전자들의 윤리관과 동기가 의심된다고 하였다.

이 두 명은 Vazquez Rana 현 회장으로 부터 가장 신랄한 평가를 받았다.
Hickey는 지난 ANOC집행이사회에서 Vazquez Rana 회장이 점하고 있던 IOC집행위원자리를 대신 차지하기로 합의 된바 있으며 모스크바 ANOC총회에서 투표로 최종 결정될 예정이다.
이러한 일련의 움직임에 대해 Vazquez Rana 회장은 순전히 "개인의 사리사욕을 만족시키면서 ANOC와 같은 기구의 위상과 이미지는 망쳐버리는" 처사라고까지 표현할 정도다.
"올림픽 헌장이나 ANOC 헌장규정에도 그러한 절차를 예시한 대목이 없다. 이러한 류의 압력성 긴급사태가 생긴 것은 과도한 개인작 야심과 그 두 명 추종세력들의 권력추구 갈구심리로만 설명될 수 있을 것이다."
"특히 우리의 규정과 관례를 깨뜨리는 Hickey의 제안내용을 살펴 볼 때 확언컨대 나는 Hickey에 대해 그가 향후 수장직을 수행하는 데 적절한 최소한의 윤리적이고 도덕적 품성을 지닌 사람이라고 볼 수 없다고 지적하는 바이다
"이러한 일련의 사건들과 연관된 그의 행동거지는 나의 확신을 재획인 시켜주고 있다."라고 덧 붙여 통렬히 힐난조로 비난하고 있다.

ANOC회장 대권도전 선 상에 서 있는 다음 인물인 Al-Sabah OCA회장에 대하여서 Vazquez Rana회장은 분노를 표출하고 있다.
" ANOC회장자리를 원하는 Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah 각하는 수년 간 그 나라의 NOC 지위가 정부와의 모순적 갈등표출로 인하여 IOC로부터 자격정지를 받고 있는 나라 출신이라는 점을 주목할 만하다.
"그 각하는 그러한 처지에서 과연 전 세계 국가올림픽위원회를 통솔할 어떤 도덕적 권위로 의지표명할 건지 의문이 제기되어야 할 것이다."

Vazquea Rana 회장은 Al-Sabah가 ANOC조직에 "수석부회장 직(Senior Vice President)"을 창출하는 운동을 시작한 장본이며 그의 그런 움직임은 ANOC회장에 그 역할을 수행할 수 없을 때 언제든지 ANOC회장 직무를 대신하고자 하려는 의도가 있는 것으로 보이며 그러한 술책에 대하여 "교활하고 불충한 행위"(sly and disloyal)라고 맹비난하였다.
"수석부회장 선출과 관련하여 처음에는 그것이 하나의 정직한 제안이라고 생각하였고 숨은 의도가 있다고는 생각지 않았었다."라고 불쾌감을 표출하였다.

그는 5명의 대륙별 당연직 ANOC부회장이 아니기 때문에 ANOC수석부회장은 총회에서 선출되어야 한다고 제안하였다고 덧붙였다.
"5명의 대륙별 ANOC부회장이 ANOC회장 대행(substitute)을 선출한다는 것은 완전히 비논리적이고 반민주적 처사이며, 무소불위의 권력을 지닌 여자든 남자든 그 어느 누구라도 총회에서 204개국 올림픽위원회에 유일하게 위임되어 있는 권리를 대신 주무를 수는 없는 일이다."라고 통렬히 비난하고 있다.

Vazquez Rana 회장은 자신이 1979년 이래로 이끌어 온 ANOC를 넘겨 받으려는 그 두 명의 사리사욕적 동기와는 아주 대조적인 본인의 리더십을 표현하고 있다.
" 지난 두 차례 ANOC집행이사회에서 반복적으로 강조하였듯이, 나는 이러한 심각하고 위험한 갈등국면에서 어떠한 사리사욕에 의해 좌우되지 않는다. 나는 늘 그래왔듯이 나의 신념과 원칙와 윤리관을 방어한다."

"나는 나의 의무를 충실히 수행해 냈고 국제올림픽 스포츠를 향한 기여를 해 온데 대해 만족한 마음으로 올림픽 운동 조직내에서 맡아 온 직위들로부터 물러난다."
"내가 올림픽운동 조직 내의 내 직위를 이용하여 개인적 혜택을 도모한 바 있다고 지적할 사람은 아무도 없을 것이다. 반대로 이러한 모든 세월 속에서 나는 시간과 노력과 개인 재산까지도 아낌 없이 바쳐 스포츠와 선수들을 위해 일해 왔다. 그것이야말로 내 자신을 매우 자랑스럽게 느끼해 주는 것이다."라고 자평했다.

                                (Mario Vazquez Rana ANOC회장<좌측>와 Jacques Rogge IOC위원장<우측>)

Vazquez Rana회장은 미디어에 대하여는 극찬을 아끼지 않았다.
"내가 내 소임를 완수할 수 있도록 중차대하고 소중한 지원을 아끼지 않는 미디어에 대하여 감사한다."
그러한 미디어의 성원 없었더라면 IOC와 올림픽 솔리다리티 및 ANOC 활동에서 거둔 성공사례를 기대하기 어려웠을 것이다.
나는 그점에서 여러분 미디어와 후흡을 같이 해 온 것처럼 느낀다. 그래서 그 누구보다도 더 간절히 감사할 수 있는 것이다.
여러분이 세상에 알려주고 교육시켜줌으로써 전달해준 작업의 가치와 중요성에 대해 감사한다.
이제 세계 스포츠 계 거물들이 하나, 둘 사라지고 있다.
한 때 "라틴 마피아'로서 글로벌 스포츠를 주름 잡았던 '고 사마란치 IOC위원장/스페인', '고 프리모 네비올로 국제 육상경기연맹(IAAF)회장 겸 FISU(국제 대학 스포츠 연맹)회장/이탈리아', 뇌물 스캔들로 불명예 종신직임에도 IOC위원 직에서 사퇴한 'Joao Havelange 전 IOC종신 위원 겸 전 FIFA회장/브라질' 등 거의 모든 구시대 거물들이 무대에서 사라지고 있는 대 격변과 교체의 시절이다.

March 15th, 2012.
PRESS RELEASE (보도자료 원문)

Today, I have submitted to Dr. Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, my IRREVOCABLE RESIGNATION as Member of the IOC Executive Board, IOC Member and President of the Olympic Solidarity Commission. Simultaneously, I have submitted to the 204 National Olympic Committees worldwide and to Mrs. Gunilla Lindberg, ANOC Secretary General, my RESIGNATION as President of the Association of National Olympic Committees.

It has been very difficult for me to take such a drastic decision. For more than 40 years, first as an athlete and then as a sports leader, I have been closely linked to the Olympic Movement. I was founder and President of ANOC since 1979, founder of Olympic Solidarity since 1981 and President of the IOC Olympic Solidarity Commission for the last 12 years. From those positions, great efforts were made to provide, in a significant and increasing manner, further support to the athletes and the National Olympic Committees. The results achieved in the most recent editions of the Olympic Games demonstrate the efficiency of the policy applied throughout these years.

ANOC is the organization that brings together the National Olympic Committees worldwide; it has a recognized leadership and plays a fundamental role within the Olympic Movement. The position I have occupied as Member of the IOC Executive Board has allowed us to transmit the points of view, suggestions and recommendations of the NOCs, especially the issues regarding the organization and development of the Olympic Games; as well as the function the National Olympic Committees carry out in these Games.

In more than 30 years of history, ANOC has attained important success and a remarkable strengthening of its operation capacity within the Olympic Movement. Relevant results have been achieved in the Organization’s work, especially with respect to the defense of the autonomy and independence of the NOCs, decentralization towards the Continental Associations and the execution of numerous programs that have contributed to provide a firm support and attention to athletes.

The Olympic Charter establishes an age limit of 80 years old for the IOC members elected previous to the year 2000, which is my case. The application of this rule means I should cease to be member of the Executive Board at the IOC Session that will be held next July in London and in December 2012 as an active member of the IOC.

This particular circumstance and the conclusion of my mandate as ANOC President in 2014 have given rise to an outrageous and aggressive race for my succession, headed by two ANOC Vice Presidents: His Excellency Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, President of the Olympic Council of Asia and Mr. Patrick Hickey, President of the European Olympic Committees.

As was informed by some media at the time, though not always as objectively as was necessary, the two last meetings of the ANOC Executive Council, held in Lausanne in December 2011 and in London last February, were the stages chosen by these persons and their allies to express their personal ambitions, disloyalty, obscure alliances and lack of ethics and principles.

His Excellency Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah and Mr. Patrick Hickey, supported by some members and with the complicit silence of others, imposed on the Executive Council agreements that breach the ANOC Constitution and disavow the decisions taken by the General Assembly. The analysis of the events of the last few months makes evident the existence of agreements that, due to different reasons and interests, derived on the establishment of alliances previous to the Executive Council meetings in order to impose their will through the majority of votes, at margin and disavowing the rules and practices established for the Organization’s operation.

This situation is very reprehensible and dangerous for any organization that considers itself democratic and transparent, even more so for a sports organization, where fair play and ethics should prevail. It is unacceptable that due to that kind of alliances or by buying votes, it is intended to breach the rules, attempting against the unity and prestige of an organization and damaging the autonomy of the National Olympic Committees. Of course, I have firmly opposed to those kinds of behaviors. I will never accept any procedure that attempts against the Olympic principles and values.

Which were the proposals they were able to impose with so much urgency and what was their actual objective?

In first place, considering my upcoming departure as Member of the IOC Executive Board, they imposed the proposal of Mr. Patrick Hickey as the candidate to replace me in that responsibility, with the deliberate objective of conditioning the decision that the General Assembly should take freely and in a sovereign manner. There is no rule in the Olympic Charter and the ANOC Constitution does not foresee any procedure to that end. The urgency of this kind of pressure may only be explained by an excessive personal ambition and the craving for power of their promoters.

In second place, they were paving the way for Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah to occupy the position of ANOC President when I cease in that responsibility. To that end, the proposal to submit to the General Assembly an amendment to the ANOC Constitution that allows the possibility to appoint, from amongst the 5 Continental Vice Presidents, a Senior Vice President that substitutes the President in his absence was imposed on the Executive Council. This election would be carried out, solely and exclusively, by the 5 Vice Presidents, without any other authority for approval.

I fully opposed these attempts to breach, by any means, the established rules. In the particular case of Mr. Hickey’s proposal, in addition to the fact that it breaches our rules and practices, I clearly pointed out that I do not consider him a person with the minimum ethical and moral qualities to fulfill that responsibility. His behavior in these events reaffirms my conviction.

I consider fair and normal that any person aspires to better himself and occupy more relevant positions; what I categorically reject are sly and disloyal procedures and the use of a representation granted by the NOCs to satisfy personal interests, damaging the prestige and image of an Organization like ANOC.

Regarding the election of a Senior Vice President, in the beginning I thought it was an honest proposal, with no hidden intentions. Therefore, as ANOC President I submitted a counterproposal in which I offered my support to the creation of the position of Senior Vice President, but under the condition that he or she should not represent any particular continent and should be elected by the General Assembly, as is the case with the President.

The equity and balance of power ANOC has always maintained should not be broken under any concept. It is totally illogical and antidemocratic that only the 5 Vice Presidents elect the President’s substitute; no person, no matter how much power he or she has, may replace the right that corresponds solely to the 204 National Olympic Committees at the General Assembly. No continent should have further prerogatives than the others. A decision of such importance and transcendence may only be adopted by the General Assembly.

The background of this regrettable and dangerous situation began with the inopportune and false statements to the media by Mr. Patrick Hickey criticizing ANOC, of which he is a Vice President, strongly and unfoundedly, and also criticizing PASO, with which he has nothing to do, expressing his interest to seek a leadership he lacks within the Olympic Movement.

The aspirations of the ANOC Vice President for Europe coincided with a similar position assumed by the President of the Olympic Council of Asia, His Excellency Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who feels like the natural successor of the ANOC President. To determine the conduct to follow and achieve their shady objectives, they carried out a meeting, evidently conspiratorial, using as an excuse the Asian Beach Games held in Dubai in November 2011, with the presence of some IOC members as a facade and some representatives of the NOCs, headed by the ANOC Vice Presidents for Europe and Asia. It is commented, quite strongly, that in order to secure support to his ambitious plans and be able to count with the necessary votes, the Sheikh delivered 50 thousand “convincing reasons” to some sports leaders and it is speculated as well that he used the same procedure at the meetings held in December in Lausanne and in February in London.

It is worth noting that His Excellency Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who wants to preside ANOC, comes from a country whose National Olympic Committee has been suspended by the IOC for several years due to contradictions with its Government. The Sheikh would have to be asked with what moral authority he intends to lead the National Olympic Committees worldwide.

Starting from that moment and as a result of shady alliances and questionable procedures, the betrayal and assault to ANOC and its governing structures were hatched. Unfortunately, using a pseudo democratic language, hoisting the need for change as a flag and encouraging a confrontation between NOCs and International Federations, they drew with them a group of honest Olympic sports leaders from other continents.

The behavior at the ANOC Executive Council Meetings in Lausanne and London was the result of a strategy, deliberately planned, in order to attain their ambitious personal objectives, resorting, as may be appreciated, to the violation of the ANOC Constitution, disavowing the General Assembly’s agreements and what is even more dangerous, adopting decisions that correspond solely to the National Olympic Committees.

As President of ANOC I firmly opposed and rejected such ploys. I defended the ANOC Constitution and the role of the General Assembly as the highest government authority. The calling we made at the Executive Council meetings to respect the current rules, to be prudent and have common sense, fell on deaf ears and they imposed their will by means of their shameful alliance, just as they had planned.

Consistent with my principles, the ethics I have followed all my life and my clean trajectory within the Olympic Movement, I have decided to take the only responsible, serious and honorable road: RESIGN, resign for love and respect to sport, to ANOC, to the NOCs and the Olympic Movement. I may never accept and much less tolerate disloyalty and a lack of principles.

As I reiterated in the last two Executive Council meetings, I am not encouraged by any personal interest in this serious and dangerous conflict. I defend, as I always have, my convictions, principles and ethics. I said it at the proper time and today I sustain it and rightly so, that Mr. Patrick Hickey is not the qualified person and does not have the necessary qualities to represent the National Olympic Committees at the IOC Executive Board. Likewise, I have reiterated that the agreements imposed on the Executive Council are fully in breach of the ANOC Constitution and may not be accepted under any circumstance.

Personally, I regret the situation prompted by the irresponsible and opportunistic behaviors of the protagonists of these events. However, I am absolutely certain the representatives of the National Olympic Committees, at the XVIII General Assembly that will be held in Moscow next April, with their proven capacity and experience shall elect, transparently and democratically, the sports leaders who shall assume the responsibility of heading the Organization.

These considerations regarding the causes of my resignation, which I put to the disposition of the media today, were duly informed to the President of the International Olympic Committee, the IOC Members, the Presidents of International Federations, the ANOC Executive Council Members and especially, the 204 National Olympic Committees worldwide, who with their vote, by overwhelming majority, granted me the honor and high responsibility to preside, for more than 30 years, the Association of National Olympic Committees.

The XVII ANOC General Assembly held in October 2010 in Acapulco was a clear example of the recognition and support to the work carried out. The 204 National Olympic Committees worldwide, unanimously and by acclamation, in an act presided by Dr. Jacques Rogge, IOC President, reelected me as President of ANOC for the 2010 – 2014 period and proponed me to the IOC to be Member of its Executive Board as representative of the National Olympic Committees.

With my decision to resign to my responsibilities within the Olympic Movement I fulfill the request of the L PASO General Assembly held last March the 7th and 8th in Mexico City, during which the representatives of the Olympic Committees of the Americas requested me to leave the international positions I occupied in order to concentrate on chairing the Pan American Sports Organization, a position for which I was reelected for the 2012 – 2016 period.

I leave the positions I occupied within the Olympic Movement with the satisfaction of having fulfilled my duties and contributing towards the success of international Olympic sport, particularly the Olympic Games. No one may ever point out I used my positions within the Olympic Movement’s direction for personal benefit. On the contrary, during all these years I have devoted time, effort and personal resources to support sport and the athletes and that makes me feel very proud.

I would like to thank the media for their important and valuable support towards the fulfillment of my responsibilities. I am aware that without this support, it would have been more difficult to attain the success achieved at the IOC, as well as in Olympic Solidarity and ANOC. I feel like a part of you and that is why I may appreciate, like no one else, the value and importance of the work you carry out to inform and educate.




MARIO VÁZQUEZ RAÑA