Peterkin Expects to Abandon PASO Presidential Bid

(ATR) St. Lucia IOC member Richard Peterkin tells Around the Rings he is poised to abandon the race for president of the Pan American Sports Organization.

But Peterkin says he still plans to file for the post by the Jan. 28 deadline set for nominees. He sent a letter last weekend to colleagues in the Caribbean advising them of his waning interest in waging a campaign for the election set for the end of April. The race could draw a field of five candidates.

Peterkin, 68, was the first to express an interest in seeking the PASO presidency and now could be the first to drop out. He declared his interest more than three years ago, even before the 2014 death of Mario Vazquez Rana, PASO President for 30+ years. The election in April will choose a full-term successor.

Peterkin says he gave it some thought over the Christmas holiday and decided to let colleagues know he was more than willing to stand aside when consensus emerged on a single candidate from the Caribbean region.

Keith Joseph of St. Vincent is one of the contenders along with Jose Puello of Dominican Republic. Peterkin says he is happy to back either.

From South America, Carlos Nuzman from Brazil and Nevin Ilic of Chile are expected to make the deadline to file, with Peterkin expressing confidence in their abilities to serve PASO, as well.

Peterkin says that due to his nomination by the St. Lucia NOC, he will still file for the PASO post next week, but will not actively campaign.

"Between now and April, I don’t have a lot of money to go flying all over the place, meeting people. I can’t take this intrigue, the campaigning and all that," he says.

"I can easily imagine that come April I will be the first or second candidate to drop out," Peterkin says.

Peterkin, an accountant by profession, served as treasurer of PASO until 2012, when he tangled with Vazquez Rana who deposed him. Peterkin still is treasurer of the Association of National Olympic Committees. He says he’s available to resume a role handling PASO financial duties if asked to serve by the new president.

Since the death of Vazquez Rana in 2014, the organization representing 41 NOCs in the Americas has been led by Julio Maglione from Uruguay. Maglione, 81, is also president of aquatics federation FINA. He says he is ready to step down from PASO.

Written by Ed Hula.

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