Olympia: ÖOC withdrew trust from the election committee – new elections were postponed

“We will set up a new election committee in June. This will develop an election proposal and present it to a general meeting in autumn for a resolution,” said ÖOC President Karl Stoss to the APA. According to this, elections should take place this year.

“The election proposal was communicated to the media in advance, before it reached the athletes’ commission and the board. That was very, very irritating for all of us and also led to this loss of trust,” Stoss continued. With 12 out of 14 votes, the vote of no confidence was clear.

“Put pressure on the media”

“It is an absolute abuse of trust if you try to put pressure on the media from set facts,” said Stoss. The athletes’ commission responded with a letter to the election commission, saying that the wishes had not been taken into account. “For us as ÖOC and me as ÖOC President, the well-being of the athletes is the top priority. The interests must be represented when it comes to a new composition of the board.”

The election proposal for the board elections of the Austrian Olympic Committee (ÖOC), which became known in the media on June 14th, prompted the Athletes’ Commission to act last Wednesday. Specifically, it was about the under-representation of the winter sports associations and the determination of the vice presidents. Roswitha Stadlober (ski), Gernot Leitner (volleyball) and Gerald Martens (basketball) have already been named as vice presidents.

Demand for revision of the election proposal

The Athletes’ Commission demanded that the election proposal be revised and that the Vice President’s election proposal should be made in consultation with the President. Only two representatives of winter sports associations were on the board: Ski Austria President Stadlober and Toboggan Association President Markus Prock. Matthias Guggenberger, chairman of the athletes’ commission, said to the APA: “If you look at the medal statistics, that’s not the best way.”

Stoss explained that one is facing major challenges and one needs “harmony and unity” to the outside world as an ÖOC. The European Games are on the agenda in a few weeks, followed by two Olympic Youth Games and the ANOC World Beach Games before the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. “It’s not the time for great experiments. But of course we will choose this year, there is no doubt about that.”

According to Stoss, athletes should also be represented on the election committee. “So that her voice is really heard.” The chairman of the current election committee is Sportunion President Peter McDonald, and representatives of ASKÖ and ASVÖ as well as four professional associations also belong to the commission.