Who will preside the Dominican Olympic Committee in this Olympic Games year is as uncertain as the Tokyo 2021 games themselves. After Luis Mejía Oviedo announced he was stepping down as president of the Dominican Republic Olympic Committee (COD), as of January 2021, the local media have been full of speculation as to who would be his successor. The 67-year old Mejía Oviedo had said when reelected in 2018 that he only intended to serve two years. He had served since 2004.
The rules say that when the president of the COD resigns, the vice president will step in. Antonio Acosta is the vice president, who is now the acting president of the COD. Nevertheless, there is a clause that indicates he would need to be ratified by the assembly of sports federation presidents. There is speculation he would not get enough votes to stay on and new elections would be called.
Mejía Oviedo has been an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member since 2017. He is also the president of Centro Caribe Sports, the new name for ODECABE that oversees the development of the Central American and Caribbean Sports Games.
Mejía Oviedo has said he will oversee preparations for the Dominican Republic’s participation at Tokyo 2020 where he has plans to continue as chief of mission.
Mejía Oviedo also sits on the IOC’s Women in Sport Commission and Public Affairs and Social Development through Sport Commission. The Dominican official is also a member of the Association of National Olympic Committees Executive Council. He will continue in the positions because his IOC membership is not linked to his position as COD president.
Diario Libre reports on 7 January 2021, that the new president would be decided by March of this year during the General Assembly of the Dominican Olympic Committee.
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Inside the Games
Diario Libre
Hoy
6 January 2021