The 36th General Assembly of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games not only introduced Francesco Purromuto as the organisation’s new President, but also maintained continuity within its senior leadership.
Mehrez Boussayene of Tunisia, Bernard Amsalem of France, Iakovos Filippousis of Greece and Yiotis Ioannides of Cyprus were re-elected as First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary General and Treasurer respectively, for another term. The Executive Committee for the 2026-2030 period was elected unanimously.
The ICMG Secretary General, who was praised by speakers at the General Assembly for his efforts, described the ICMG in his speech before the elections as an organisation that has emerged from the National Olympic Committees of its member countries.
He stressed that the organisation has no financial or political dependence on any institution. He said the ICMG is financially independent and has demonstrated a high level of transparency in its operations.
But the speech by the newly elected President, Francesco Purromuto, although accompanied by humour, appeared to promise institutional reform and, more importantly, the construction of the ICMG’s future.
Secretary Genera Iakovos Filippousis
Addressing the members of the General Assembly, Purromuto said that, for the first time, he would not be discussing amendments to the statutes, the Code of Ethics, contracts or resolutions at the meeting.
The sentence may have sounded simple, but it could in fact be interpreted as a sign of a change in the management approach of the ICMG.
Purromuto has spent years working in the legal and institutional areas of the organisation and is familiar with its internal structure and challenges. He therefore does not begin his presidency from outside the organisation, without sufficient knowledge of how it works. Instead, he is a leader who has already been involved in the process of its reform and modernisation.
His previous role as President of the ICMG Ethics and Juridical Commission gave him a direct role in strengthening the organisation’s governance and ethical framework. In 2023, the ICMG adopted its first Code of Ethics, following work led by the commission under his presidency, while Purromuto also played a key role in the proposed amendments to the ICMG Charter.
Perhaps the most important point in the new President’s first speech was precisely this. The period of designing and implementing institutional reforms should now move towards a new stage, one focused on implementation and building the future.
Francesco Purromuto
Purromuto emphasised the confidence that ICMG members had placed in him and his new management team. He also referred to the election of the new Executive Board as a sign of the continuation of the organisation’s process of renewal and transformation.
He knows very well that every international organisation needs reform if it is to move forward. But reforms become meaningful only when they ultimately lead to better performance, greater transparency and stronger trust among members.
It appears that Purromuto intends to move beyond the stage of simply reforming the structure and instead focus on using that structure to build the future of the ICMG.
In many sports organisations, a change of president can mean the beginning of a completely different era and even the abandonment of achievements made under the previous administration.
Italian members at the assembly
But Purromuto did not send such a message in his first remarks.
On the contrary, he appeared to be trying to create a balance between change and continuity.
This could become one of the strengths of his presidency. Preserving the achievements of the past while introducing reforms and new ideas.
Purromuto appears to be placing particular importance on cooperation and trust within this new team.
That could be particularly important for an organisation such as the ICMG, which brings together National Olympic Committees from countries with different political, cultural and sporting backgrounds.
The members of the Executive Board elected alongside him are Yasser Idris, Maja Pekovic, Pedro Farroba, Cayetano Cornet, Abdellatif Idmahamma, Blaz Perko and Ayda Uluc. The Executive Committee will also be supplemented by two additional members and the Chair of the Athletes’ Commission.
Turkish members at the assembly
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