During the 142nd session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) held in Paris, significant news emerged: Gerardo Werthein, the former president of the Argentine Olympic Committee, has been elected as the new vice president of the IOC. He will fill one of the two available vice-presidential positions.
In the voting process, Werthein received an impressive 78 votes in favor, with only 11 against, marking a vital moment in his career within the organization that governs the Olympic Games. This new role comes at a pivotal time, as current president Thomas Bach will step down in March 2025, leading to elections for his successor. Werthein’s position will be essential during this transition period.
Looking ahead, the next Olympic Games will take place in Los Angeles in 2028. Werthein will serve as the ambassador for Argentina at these upcoming Games, allowing him to closely monitor preparations for this major international event.
Werthein began his leadership role in the Argentine Olympic Committee in 2009 and completed his tenure in 2021, passing the baton to Mario Moccia, the current president. He has been part of the IOC since 2011, where he previously chaired the Digital and Technology Commission. In his new role, he will contribute to the IOC’s strategic decisions along with other vice presidents and the president.
One of Werthein’s most significant achievements as the head of the Argentine Olympic Committee was organizing the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. His leadership also saw Argentina’s national team perform notably at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, securing their third-best finish in medal count after previous performances in 1951 and 1995.
In addition to Werthein’s election, another historic moment for Argentine sports occurred with Paula Pareto being elected as an individual member of the IOC. Representing athletes on the board of the Argentine Olympic Committee, she was nominated alongside two other women and one man: Aya Medany from Egypt, Sarah Walker from New Zealand, and Sir Hugh Robertson from Great Britain.
Pareto is regarded as Argentina’s best judoka and one of the nation’s sporting legends. She made history in 2016 by becoming the first woman to win a gold medal in an individual event during the Olympic Games in Rio. She also made a memorable Olympic debut with a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.
In the voting for her position, Pareto received an impressive 77 positive votes against seven negative ones, out of a total of 86 votes cast, with two abstentions.
Before the IOC session, Werthein and Pareto met at the Olympic Village, where Werthein expressed satisfaction with the Paris 2024 infrastructure and was impressed by the scale of the venue, which spans 54 hectares along the Seine River, shared by three municipalities: Saint-Denis, Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, and Île Saint-Denis.
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/deportes/2024/07/24/gerardo-werthein-fue-elegido-como-vicepresidente-del-comite-olimpico-internacional/
