Row Over Patarkatsishvili’s GNOC Presidency

Badri Patarkatsishvili will not be allowed to exercise his duties as President of the Georgian National Olympic Committee (GNOC), as he no longer enjoys the trust of GNOC members, Goka Gabashvili, the minister for culture and sport, said on October 10.

The GNOC overwhelmingly voted to suspend the business tycoon from the office on October 9, a day after ruling party officials accused him of “plotting intrigues” against the state “with the hands of” Irakli Okruashvili, the ex-defense minister.

Patarkatsishvili, however, told the BBC Russian Service that his suspension was illegal and he planned to continue exercising his duties.

“He won’t be able to continue exercising his duties, because all the presidents of the various sports federations have expressed their distrust in him,” Minister Gabashvili said. “They [members of the GNOC Executive Committee] do not want to be linked with a person who is constantly surrounded by scandals and in the most recent scandal he launched a slander campaign against the country and its president.”

President of the Georgian Chess Federation Nona Gaprindashvili, who voted against Patarkatsishvili’s suspension, said on October 9 that the decision “was imposed by the authorities.”

She said that most of the sports federation presidents were ruling party activists and the decision was politically-motivated. Merab Antadze, the deputy foreign minister, is the president of the rugby federation; Petre Tsiskarishvili, the agriculture minister, is the president of the boxing federation; Kakha Getsadze, a lawmaker from the ruling party, is the president of the wrestling federation; Beso Jugeli, a lawmaker from the ruling party, is the president of the badminton federation.

Leri Khabelov, the first vice-president of the GNOC, said that the voting was carried out “in total violation of procedures,” including lack of quorum.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)