Judo athlete Jose Vicbart Geraldino scored a gold medal for Dominican athletes, and a point against corruption in sports. On Friday, the Dominican Olympic Committee (COD) announced the suspension of Jaime Casanova, the president of the Judo Federation, from his post as treasurer of the COD after irrefutable evidence presented by Vicbart?s lawyers demonstrated irregularities in fund management. Hoy newspaper carried the details of an irregularity regarding a US dollar contribution from the International Olympic Solidarity fund in its Saturday edition. The evidence documented how the president of the Judo Federation had billed the same invoice twice, once to the Dominican state through the Sports Ministry and then again to the International Olympic Committee.
Following his performance in the 2003 Pan American Games, Casanova had suspended the nation?s leading judo athlete from all competition, including the upcoming Athens Olympics. As part of the decisions announced by the COD on Friday, Vicbart?s eligibility was reinstated and he will be allowed to compete in the summer Olympic Games.
Vicbart had vowed to take the case against Casanova to the final consequences.
In its Sunday edition, El Caribe carried a statement by Vicbart?s father, who said that not everyone could be bought for money. The senior Vicbart responded affirmatively to a question from the El Caribe reporter regarding whether the president of the Judo Federation had tried to buy his silence. ?Undoubtedly. He offered us everything to put away the case, but there are still people who do not sell out for money, that is what many people do not understand,? Vicbart?s father told El Caribe.
Hoy newspaper?s ?Coctelera? column comments that the announcement of the COD could be a precursor to cracking several more cases of corruption, as others come forth with evidence or claims.