(ATR) The head of the IOC panel supervising preparations for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro tells Around the Rings she is not worried about the scandal-driven resignation of Brazilian sports minister Orlando Silva.
"He was not involved with the Olympics, just the World Cup," Nawal El Moutawakel said Thursday in Monaco where she is attending the Peace and Sport Forum.
"We will learn more next week, when we go to Rio de Janeiro," she said, referring to a long-scheduled project review meeting that will take place among the IOC, organizing committee and government staff working on the Games. The review is set for Nov. 7 to 9.
While Moutawakel, who is chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for Rio de Janeiro, would not comment, ATR understands that the IOC is becoming uncomfortable with the churn of ministerial posts in the first 10 months of the presidency of Dilma Rousseff. Silva will be the sixth to leave since the inauguration in January.
Moutawakel’s comment about Silva being involved only in 2014 World Cup preparations confirms that he had already been marginalized in Olympics matters before the scandal that led to his demise. But even on the World Cup, Silva has also been long sidelined, as more powerful ministries, such as planning, now are taking the lead on WC 2014 preparations.
"We acknowledge the work done so far and regret this situation," FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said in a statement made available to ATR.
"We are confident that the Brazilian government will soon inform us about the new representative in charge so that we can continue to work together on the preparations of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. For us, it is always essential to have a dedicated link to the government of the FIFA World Cup host country."
Silva, who is a representative of the PCB, the Brazilian Communist party, served as minister of sport under the presidency of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and was reappointed earlier this year by Rousseff. His tenure covered both the 2007 Pan American Games and the successful bids of Rio de Janeiro for 2016 and Brazil for the 2014 World Cup.
Amid allegations he took more than $20 million in public money intended for social programs related to the 2014 finals, he resigned Wednesday but maintains his innocence.
"I decided to leave the government so that I can defend my honor," he announced after an hour-long meeting with Rousseff.
The Brazilian Supreme Federal Court opened a case against him on Tuesday centered around the kickback allegations of a police officer, allegations Silva has already denied before a congressional panel.
According to a Rousseff spokesman, a new sports minister has yet to be named.
Written and reported by Ed Hula
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