The Executive Committee of the Dominican Olympic Committee (COD) appointed a new electoral commission on Tuesday to oversee the body’s upcoming elections scheduled for December 9.
This leadership change follows the resignation of three previous commission members—Dr. Dionisio Guzmán, engineer Rafael Villalona Calero, and journalist Jorge Torres Ocumárez—who stepped down from their posts last week.
COD Executive Committee Ratifies New Commission Members
The COD Executive Committee is expected to ratify these appointments on Thursday, 19.
This commission is tasked with managing the electoral process that will determine the leadership of the Dominican Olympic Committee for the 2026-2030 term. The election is set to take place on December 19.
Secretary General Resignation
The appointment process faced immediate internal friction during the committee’s meeting. COD Secretary General Luis Chanlatte left the room while the new members were being introduced and subsequently announced he would no longer participate in the selection process for the commission.
“I inform the country and, especially, the members of the federations affiliated with the Dominican Olympic Committee of my decision not to participate in the process of choosing the new Electoral Commission,” Chanlatte said in a message shared with federation members, according to a report by Periódico elCaribe.
“I trust that the other members of the Executive Committee will know how to make the best choice, with responsibility and transparency, ahead of the electoral process on December 9,” he concluded.
Candidates for the 2026-2030 Term
Four sports leaders have declared their intentions to lead the COD for the next four-year cycle.
The list of candidates includes Garibaldy Bautista, president of the Dominican Softball Federation and current president of the COD; Luis Chanlatte, president of the Dominican Wu-Shu Federation and current secretary general; José Mera, president of the Dominican Trap Shooting Federation and treasurer of the organization; and Gilberto García, president of the Dominican Judo Federation.
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