(ATR) Sebastian Coe and Larry Probst head new commissions for the association representing the world’s national Olympic committees.
Coe, chairman of the British Olympic Association, will head the Youth Working Group. Probst, chair of the US Olympic Committee, is head of the Marketing and New Sources of Finance Commission. It’s the first time both prominent NOC leaders have taken major assignments at ANOC.
The two commissions are among nine created this week by the ANOC Council, which met December 9 in Lausanne. It’s all part of the efforts by ANOC president Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al-Sabah to modernize the 35-year-old organization he took over in 2012.
Sheikh Ahmad tells Around the Ringsthis is a sign of the "good" things happening at ANOC.
"When we started to take over this organization," he said "we delivered a lot of promises to the General Assembly in Moscow. I am very satisfied that we are following up on all those promises."
The commissions for one year mandate to deliver "tangible and measureable results for the benefit of ANOC’s stakeholders."
Each is supposed to meet three times the coming year with reports due at the annual ANOC General Assembly set for November in Bangkok.
Most of the commissions are headed by veterans of ANOC who have also made a point of calling changes to make the organization representing 204 NOCs more effective.
Retiring IOC member Kevan Gosper of Australia will lead the Modernisation Follow-up Commission. He has already been meeting with his group, which issued a recommendation to form other commissions.
St. Lucia NOC president Richard Peterkin is chair of the Finance and Audit Commission. He’s already ANOC treasurer and an IOC member.
Michael Chambers of Canada leads the Juridical Commission, a post similar to what he’s held before. He is a lawyer by profession.
The new International Relations Commission is to be led by IOC member and Uruguay and IOC chief Julio Cesar Maglione. He is also president of the international aquatics federation, FINA.
Robin Mitchell of Fiji, medical doctor and president of the Oceania National Olympic Committees as well as an IOC member, will chair the Medical Commission.
New Zealand Olympian and IOC member Barbara Kendall will head the Athletes Commission.
The sheikh himself will head the ANOC Events Working Group, which will examine the possibility of new sporting events to be held under the umbrella of the organization. As president of the Olympic Council of Asia, Sheikh Ahmad has encouraged the development of the Asian Games, regional games, as well as specialized events such as the Asian Beach Games.
"I think we will have some events as an organization," Ahmad added to Around the Rings.
"This meeting of the Executive Council represents a significant landmark in the evolution of the Association of National Olympic Committees. Our new Commissions and Working Groups will ensure that recognized experts in their fields are meeting regularly on the most pressing issues facing NOCs – not just to discuss, but to take decisive action and make real progress.
"Our mission – and our duty – is to serve the interests of the NOCs. These new structures will make us better equipped to do that than ever before."
Written by Ed Hula
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