Exclusive: International World Games Association grant permission for members to withdraw from SportAccord

IWGA have permitted members to leave SportAccord in light of exceptional circumstances ©IWGA

Members of the International World Games Association (IWGA) have been granted permission to withdraw their membership of SportAccord in light of "exceptional circumstances" following the latter body's fallout with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Applicants for IWGA membership must be in "good standing" with SportAccord to be considered, the IWGA constitution outlines, something that was questioned at the body's General Assembly during the SportAccord Convention in Sochi last month.

But with no change having been confirmed, the stipulation has dissuaded some members from taking action.

Governing bodies representing karate, korfball and orienteering all revealed over the weekend that they have "suspended ties" with SportAccord, with International Orienteering Federation President Brian Porteous telling insidethegames how this was why they had not gone a step further and withdrawn completely.

Yet in a letter to the member federations sent by IWGA President José Perurena, obtained by insidethegames, it was explained how "in view of the exceptional circumstances that currently prevail", any action they may have decided, or may soon decide, "will have no effect on their good standing within the IWGA".

This will remain the case until the next IWGA General Meeting, which will take place next spring, with members having an opportunity then to formally review and, if need be, modify it.

The IWGA meeting usually takes place during the SportAccord Convention but, with the future of next year's event currently up in the air, it is possible an Extraordinary General Meeting will be held at some point.

Interests of the IWGA members remains paramount in making all of these decisions, the body's chief executive Joachim Gossow told insidethegames today.

IWGA have permitted members to leave SportAccord in light of exceptional circumstances ©ITG

In his speech in Sochi, Vizer alleged the IOC "lacked transparency", that its Agenda 2020 reform process had brought "hardly any benefit" to sport and that it had unfairly blocked SportAccord in its drive to organise new Commissions and events.

Every Summer Olympic sport body except for the IJF signed a letter supporting the decision of the Association of Summer Olympic International Sports Federations (ASOIF) to "disassociate" its affiliation with SportAccord, while both the International Paralympic Committee and the Commonwealth Games Federation have made a similar move.

A total of 22 Olympic sports have also have disaffiliated themselves from the union, with more Olympic and non-Olympic ones, such as the IWGA members, expected to withdraw over coming days.

The ITF has told insidethegames that it will be holding a Board meeting on Monday (June 1) and Tuesday (June 2) to discuss its membership with SportAccord.

In his capacity as head of the ASOIF Ricci Bitti has repeatedly criticised Vizer, urging him to stop speaking on behalf of International Federations, claiming they “do not feel represented” by the union he heads.

insidethegames has also been told that a meeting of the Association of IOC Recognised International Sport Federations took place last night, with another planned for tonight, and a decision on whether to follow ASOIF in "disaffiliating" is expected afterwards.

ARISF, which represents many sports currently seeking inclusion at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, has previously called for unity between the two bodies, although at the same time they have also called for a closer relationship with the IOC.