Marius Vizer has vowed to release details of SportAccord and IJF revenue distribution ©SportAccord

Marius Vizer has made public the distribution figures of both SportAccord and the International Judo Federation (IJF) in an "expression of goodwill" to the sports world, while also reiterating how he wishes to organise the World Beach Games in conjunction with the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), as was initially planned.

It comes as the International Surfing Association becomes the fifth non-Olympic sport, and 27th overall, to suspend its membership of SportAccord.

The official has exclusively to insidethegames following a strongly worded message released by ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah earlier this week in which he asked Vizer how both SportAccord and the Vizer-headed IJF distribute their finances,  so that "our organisations can learn from one and other".

It was seen as clear retaliation on behalf of International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach after Vizer demanded that the IOC distributes its revenues in a more transparent fashion. 

“As a friend, I am happy to answer any of Sheikh Ahmad’s questions," replied Vizer.

"However, I am yet to receive any formal question from his side and have only read the comments through press reports and statements.

"We are completely transparent in our dealings and I am completely willing to share any information with Sheikh Ahmad, or anyone else, as the President of the IJF and SportAccord.

"As an expression of goodwill and evidence, we will make public this week the distribution figures of SportAccord and the IJF for experience sharing, in order to learn from one another."

He added how he would like to wish Sheikh Ahmad, whose support was seen as key in Vizer defeating IOC-backed opponent Bernard Lapasset in the 2013 SportAccord Presidential race, "good luck in his new position on the FIFA Executive Board”.

The SportAccord figures, released later today, show how 53.5 per cent of revenue is redistributed to participating IFs and athletes through prize money, appearance and management fees.

A further 30.3 per cent is spent towards operations - salaries, travel and administration costs - while 8.5 per cent goes towards television and digital production and distribution, while 7.7 per cent was utilised for the development and upkeep of the Sports United project and for the operations of the Doping-Free Sport Unit (DFSU).

Sheikh Ahmad pictured with Marius Vizer at the launch of the World Beach Games in 2013 ©SportAccord
Sheikh Ahmad pictured with Marius Vizer at the launch of the World Beach Games in 2013 ©SportAccord

Vizer and Sheikh Ahmad were due to collaborate to organise the first World Beach Games, announced as a joint initiative by SportAccord and ANOC in 2013.

But, after Vizer announced the Games would take place for the first time in Sochi in 2019 last month, the collaboration appears to have ended.

It remains unknown exactly what ANOC's plans now are, with Sheikh Ahmad revealing this week how they are working "under the leadership of the IOC" to bring benefits to the wider Olympic Movement, with the project set to be launched at the ANOC Executive Council meeting in Lausanne on June 6. 

“I notice with interest that Sheikh Ahmad speaks of the Beach Games ‘under the leadership of the IOC, and in cooperation and coordination with other Olympic Movement stakeholders," Vizer responded to insidethegames. 

"It is interesting because we have been working on developing and finalising the concept of the World Beach Games with the International Federations for over two years.

"The World Beach Games is a finalised and ready project, which we presented to the ANOC almost a year ago.

"The property has been promoted across the world and Russia has announced its intention to host the first edition of the event, most likely in 2017 or 2019.

"This is a ready event of the International Federations that we hoped to organise in cooperation with ANOC and for this reason we signed and MoU with ANOC in November 2013.”

SportAccord awarded the first World Beach Games to Sochi last month ©Getty Images
SportAccord awarded the first World Beach Games to Sochi last month ©Getty Images

This all follows the public fallout between Vizer and the IOC after Vizer last month alleged the body "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 made a similar move.

A total of 22 Olympic sports and five non-Olympic sports have so far withdrawn or suspended their membership, while this week has also seen both the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations and Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF) suspending their ties.

Surfing became the latest to cut its ties today, with ISA President Fernando Aguerre, who is also an ARISF vice-president, explaining his displeasure with "serious divisions" between SportAccord, its members and the IOC.

After three of the member sports withdrew, Peruvian capital Lima also withdrew as host of the SportAccord-organised World Combat Games, which had been due to take place in 2017.

In his message, Vizer did not rule out some sort of legal action again the Peruvian Olympic Committee (COP) for breaking their contract, outlining only how they are "considering the implications of the letter" from the COP and the "appropriate next steps".

When asked whether Federations that have withdrawn are still receiving any support from SportAccord, Vizer also explained how the body will "continue to provide all services to every International Federation that is interested".

"We are completely committed to servicing and uniting them," he added to insidethegames.



Related stories
May 2015:
Major blow for Vizer as close allies pull organisations out of SportAccord
May 2015: Sheikh Ahmad challenges Vizer over SportAccord finances
May 2015: Four non-Olympic sports join badminton in suspending ties with SportAccord
May 2015: Lima withdraws as host for 2017 SportAccord World Combat Games
May 2015: Introduction of Olympic prize money among radical proposals made by Vizer ahead of proposed meeting with Bach