Though IOC President Thomas Bach said last month “we will
not interfere in this discussion,” his organization stepped in on Saturday
after meeting in Athens to detail objections it shared with soccer
stakeholders.
Clashes in the schedule with other sports, the men’s World
Cup overshadowing women’s editions of the tournament, and “a further massive
strain” on athlete welfare were all cited in an IOC statement after an
executive board meeting.
The IOC did not refer to potential future World Cup-Olympics
clashes — potentially as soon as 2028 when the Summer Games are hosted by Los
Angeles — in its statement.
The IOC did criticize FIFA’s tactics in promoting the
biennial World Cup project by noting a wider consultation across soccer “has
obviously not taken place.”
FIFA revealed its detailed plan last month, after meeting
with retired players, to redraft the calendar of international soccer
competitions with biennial World Cups for men and women at the heart.
The proposal strongly backed by FIFA president Gianni
Infantino was announced before formally consulting member federations in the
World Cup strongholds of Europe and South America.
Those regions’ governing bodies, UEFA and CONMEBOL, have
warned of a World Cup boycott if FIFA pushes ahead with a plan that would
undermine their continental championships, which are organized on the same
four-year cycle as the IOC’s Summer Games. All are next due in 2024.
The IOC cited “tennis, cycling, golf, gymnastics, swimming,
athletics, Formula One and many others” as sports which would be affected by
more World Cups.
“This would undermine the diversity and development of
sports other than football,” the Olympic body said.
FIFA, whose next scheduled World Cups are in 2022 and 2026,
has not specified wanting to stay on even-numbered years for a biennial men’s
World Cup. A switch to odd-numbered years, possibly starting in 2029, could be
proposed.
At an Olympic briefing after an executive board meeting,
spokesman Mark Adams was asked if Infantino, who is an IOC member, had talked
with Bach about the biennial World Cup plan before going public with it.
Adams said he could not give details though the IOC kept in
touch with sports governing bodies.
When asked last month about FIFA’s plans at an IOC news
conference, Bach suggested “contributions of the continental associations” —
such as UEFA and CONMEBOL — were making the issues clear.
FIFA has not set a formal date for a decision on its World
Cup proposal, though has suggested a meeting of its 211 national members could
be held in December. -AP
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