[Source: SportAccord Convention] Francesco Ricci Bitti, President of ASOIF, announced today that he will stand down as President of SportAccord Convention, but will remain on the Executive Committee of the organisation representing the major stakeholder, ASOIF.

Following the situation in May 2015 when the previous President of SportAccord resigned, Ricci Bitti, together with Gian-Franco Kasper, the FIS President, ensured the continuity of both the Association and the Convention. Kasper became interim President of SportAccord Association and Ricci Bitti was elected President of SportAccord Convention in June 2015.

“Gian-Franco was able to accomplish the approval of new statutes for SportAccord Association that clarified the mission and governance rules and culminated in the election of Patrick Baumann as a new president for a four year term,” said Ricci Bitti. “My mission was to take care of the continuity of the Convention; mission that we believe has been accomplished with the very successful organisation of Lausanne 2016 and Aarhus 2017, in spite of very challenging conditions. The announcement of Bangkok 2018 and the interest received from many other potential candidates give us great confidence for the future years. SportAccord Association (newly renamed GAISF) and Convention are two different legal entities, but maximum integration is recommended – being the Convention the most relevant activity of the Association. It is just time to return to a common leadership for the two entities. For this reason I want to thank the board for accepting my proposal to be replaced by Patrick Baumann assuring him the support of ASOIF.”

On this occasion, Patrick Baumann expressed: “I would like to thank Francesco Ricci Bitti for his confidence and his great commitment in this transition time and I look forward to the continuing success of GAISF and SportAccord Convention to the benefit of all member IFs and Associations.”