Olympics-ASOIF suspends SportAccord links over Vizer controversy

April 21 (Reuters) - The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) has suspended links with SportAccord following the organisation's scathing criticism of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). SportAccord president Marius Vizer said on Monday the IOC was not transparent enough and blocked attempts for other multi-sports events. International judo federation president Vizer, whose SportAccord group represent close to 100 Olympic and non-Olympic federations and organisers of multi-sports games, said IOC president Thomas Bach interfered with the autonomy of sporting bodies. "The Council met today in Sochi and reviewed the statements and report of the SportAccord leadership to its annual general assembly yesterday and considers the position taken not compatible with the role and mission of ASOIF as a major stakeholder of the Olympic Movement," the ASOIF said on Tuesday. "ASOIF Council unanimously decided to suspend ASOIF's association with SportAccord with immediate effect pending a full review." The ASOIF added in a statement it wanted clarification on SportAccord's mission, activities, governance and management before putting the issue before its General Assembly on Wednesday. Vizer's comments triggered instant reaction with the world athletics federation (IAAF) withdrawing its SportAccord membership and 15 federations, including soccer's FIFA, opposing the remarks. "I always tried to develop a constructive collaboration with the IOC and with president Bach," Vizer said at the opening of SportAccord's convention in Sochi, Russia. "Unfortunately it never became reality. "Mr President, stop blocking the SportAccord strategy in its mission to identify and organise conventions and multi-sport games. Do not try to create a theory around which sports are and are not eligible for multi-sport games. "The IOC system is expired, outdated, wrong, unfair and not at all transparent." The IOC has had an uneasy relationship with Vizer, who took over SportAccord in 2013 and unsuccessfully attempted to set up his own international multi-sports event, the United world Games. Vizer also rejected the IOC's Agenda 2020, Bach's brainchild and a series of reforms to make the Games more attractive and relevant to fans, bid cities and sponsors. "My impression is your opinion you have exclusively for you," German Bach said after Vizer's speech before getting the backing of more than a dozen federations, including football, swimming, athletics, sailing, hockey, badminton, shooting and triathlon among others. "We the undersigned...are expressing our disagreement on the opinions expressed this morning by the SportAccord president ...which do not reflect the views of the international federations," they said in a letter. (Reporting by Tony Jimenez; editing by Toby Davis)