The smaller IOC-member international sports federations operate under the radar screen, but are just as or more corrupt than some of the “big guys”

By Ravee Raghavan

The more one gets to learn of the workings of the IOC the more one is amazed at how the greatest show of sports on earth, the Olympic Games, continues to operate the way it does, in secrecy and in a few private hands. This has clearly been depicted by non-other than “de Man” Andrew Jennings in his long battle against corruption in organised sports. The best sports franchise in the world is in the hands of a few people at the “top of the world” of economics, politics and sleazy royalty looking for inclusion in this exclusive social registry.

Nothing much has changed ten years after the much touted changes of 1999 in the wake of the Samaranch-era scandals. The Olympic Charter may appear more democratic, but until member federations are required to adopt these changes, the “fringes” will remain the same, able to pollute the centre. These “fringes” are composed of small and big international sports federations, representing both Olympic events and aspirants like the World Karate Federation (WKF) that operate hidden from public scrutiny.

Our book aims to reveal the inner workings of one such small aspirant that just recently failed again in her Olympic bid, the WKF. This organisation led since 1998 by Antonio Espinos of Spain (after 26 years of Jacques Delcourt of France) has been hi-jacked by a small group with partisan agendas. Both the Statutes of governance and the administration of the organisation appear geared towards serving the interests of officialdom rather than athletes.

It is no new revelation that organised sport is open to corruption because of the involvement of big money. Andrew Jennings has more than educated us on this subject in his endless battle against the IOC, especially senior partner FIFA. However all these international problems have a national origin before they graduate to becoming global IOC/IF level issues. Incubation of corruption at the national levels of sports organisation prepares many to eventually become “international actors”.

There is a political link between international sports federations and the IOC because they provide the votes in the IOC. For this reason term-limits adopted by the Olympic Charter will never be imposed on IFs even though the IOC has Charter-rights to do so. As long as this is not done the Olympic Charter (OC) can afford to contain ethical requirements of no practical value. So the IOC family continues to be kept intact while public scrutiny is lulled by a cosmetically camouflaged OC.

We believe that the OC is the mother of all evils found in IFs and NOCs, especially that part which “denigrates” national governments and this source of public scrutiny. The OC not only allows IFs and NOCs to continue their anti-democratic and corrupt practices, but by her inaction to require compliance with clauses such as term-limits (adopted by IOC in 1999) is of little or no consequence.

In the core Chapter eleven of our book titled ‘History, Sociology & Politics of the World Karate Federation & EuroKumite’ we attempt a detailed analysis of the WKF Statutes and the autocratic management style adopted by the Antonio Espinos leadership of the WKF. The “customised” Revised Statutes of 2006 and concomitant management style have ensured small group tenure. This was achieved not just by “customising” binding statutes for partisan needs but also by institutionalising the practice of platform politics for elections into the Executive Committee by the Congress.

There is little or no opposition to “the Espinos-platform” of chosen candidates and so elections are often uncontested. Daring-challengers suffer punitive consequences for themselves and their NF/athletes through use of the EC-nominated Chief-Referee. NFs of such “renegades” will find their athletes and referees at risk by a refereeing system picked by the “Platform” created EC. Platform politics and a corrupt system of “rewards and punishment” over time also reduced the supreme Congress of NFs into becoming a mere “rubber stamp” for the President. Entry into the EC is restricted by platform politics but 4-year service here is a pre-requisite for Presidential candidates.

In the ‘Preface’ you will also find an expose of my experiences with a NF, the PR Karate Federation and the PRNOC acronymed COPUR in Spanish. My experience described as  “the Good, Bad and the Ugly” may well reveal much about operations in the organisation of sports at the national level, those very “incubators” of the international scene of organized sports as per the IOC.

Here is the latest sad news for karate which I will add in the second edition scheduled for early 2010. Karate was rejected once again at the IOC Executive Board meeting in Berlin for admission as an Olympic event, while imminent success was touted by the leadership even a day before the “axe fell” on karate. A top ten sport is once again left on the sidelines while established sports with far less following invent new events to introduce. Chapter nine of the book exposes the politics of the Olympic recognition game and the “road-map” within the WKF and the IOC.

None other then the WKF leadership is to blame for not pursuing this goal seriously and being more concerned with ensuring life-tenure and the “goodies” this brings leading the organisation representing world sports karate. For them the “party” goes on while the dreams of millions of kids all over the world are dashed.

The honorable thing will be for the President to resign and radical changes introduced to structure a more democratic organisation in pursuit of this Olympic goal. Term-limitations as per the OC must be introduced and the clause requiring four-year EC service for Presidential elections be removed and the gates to the EC opened for all at large candidates.

However resigning from all the “pomp and galore” is the last thing on the minds of the leadership. Beware that while the “big guys” are under careful scrutiny, the “little guys are getting away with murder”.

Book title- “History-Sociology-Politics of the World Karate Federation &   
                    EuroKumite” (Feb.2009 USA) by Dr. Ravee Raghavan/USA and Borut 
                    Markosek JD/Slovenia