ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — Judo federation chief Marius Vizer plans to organize a global world championship for all sports federations every four years, signaling a direct challenge to the IOC and the Olympics.
Vizer was elected Friday as president of SportAccord, an umbrella body representing Olympic and non-Olympic sports federations. He defeated International Rugby Board chairman Bernard Lapasset of France 52-37.
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The 56-year-old Vizer, a Romanian-born Hungarian, succeeds former cycling federation president Hein Verbruggen.
Vizer won on a platform of transforming SportAccord into a more powerful and lucrative body. The centerpiece of his project is to stage a “United World Championships” every four years for Olympic and non-Olympic sports. He hopes to organize the first event in 2017.
