Panama faces IOC suspension

Panama’s Olympic Commission faces suspension in a dispute over the leadership of the body, IOC president Jacques Rogge said on Tuesday.

Two groups are battling for control of Panama’s Olympic Commission, leading Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli to demand the resignation of the committee’s members.

The argument has already cost Panama the chance of hosting the 2013 Bolivarian Games, a multi-sport meeting featuring six countries from the region.

“It’s a dispute between two rival groups, one group alleging that they are the legitimate NOC (National Olympic Committee) and another alleging the contrary,” Rogge said at an IOC meeting in Acapulco.

“So we are trying to find out who’s who.”

Rogge said the suspension will take effect at the IOC’s next executive board meeting in January if a solution is not found.

“I hope that in the meantime discussions will bring a good solution to the conflict we have in this country,” Rogge added.