The President, Secretary General, and Treasurer of the World Olympians Association (WOA), including Bermuda's Patrick Singleton, have issued a joint letter responding to the recent concerns raised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Ethics Commission regarding the WOA's governance and financial matters. The letter, addressed to National Olympians Associations (NOAs), National Olympic Committees (NOCs), and IOC Members, attempts to counter the issues outlined in the IOC's communication.
The WOA officers, Joël Bouzou (President), Anthony Ledgard (Secretary General), and Patrick Singleton (Treasurer), begin their letter emphasizing the WOA's long-standing desire for a "healthy, positive and long-lasting relationship with the IOC, based on mutual respect between two independent bodies," highlighting a 30-year history of such a relationship since the WOA's founding in 1995.
It takes seven paragraphs for the WOA letter to directly address the Ethics Commission's concerns. In this section, the trio state their desire to resolve the current situation and claim to have "reached out for a meeting with the incoming IOC President to discuss how we can work together constructively. So far, no reply." They further allege a lack of response from the IOC to requests for assistance with tax authorities and a letter to their external auditors, questioning whether a "true partnership endure[s] when silence replaces dialogue?"
The WOA officers then proceed to address specific points raised in the IOC's letter, asserting that the IOC's communications contain "several inaccuracies and omissions that misrepresent the facts and WOA’s diligent efforts." They pledge to address the "most salient points," supported by previously provided information, including a detailed letter from the WOA dated November 26, 2024, which was attached to their response.
Regarding the IOC's claim of a "serious governance and financial issues at WOA" detailed in an independent audit report conducted with the WOA's approval, the WOA officers state, "This is not accurate. The report referenced was not an ‘audit.’ Furthermore, WOA's agreement to this review was secured under the explicit threat of immediate funding withdrawal by the IOC, critically limiting our ability to negotiate terms or ensure a collaborative process for factual verification, a concern we voiced at the time."
Finally, the WOA officers directly refute the IOC's assertion that the WOA leadership has failed to address the issues in a "constructive and collaborative manner." They claim, "This is also inaccurate. In fact, we replied with full answers to all the issues in question in various emails and letters and in summary form in our letter to the IOC Director General on November 26, 2024 which we have attached for your information. We have tried on various occasions to engage with the current IOC leadership but our requests to engage have gone unanswered."
This direct and detailed response from the WOA leadership, including Bermuda's Patrick Singleton, sets the stage for a potentially protracted and public disagreement with the IOC, further escalating the governance and financial concerns within the Olympic movement.
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