Olympic champion Jefferson Pérez has become the first Olympic gold medalist to lead the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee, taking office as part of an institutional restructuring agreed upon with the International Olympic Committee to restore the body's governance.

Jefferson Pérez takes office as president of the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee during a ceremony in Guayaquil.

Former Olympic race walking champion becomes the first Olympic gold medalist to lead the COE amid an institutional restructuring.

Olympic champion Jefferson Pérez has taken over as president of the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee (COE), becoming the first Olympic gold medalist to lead the organization as it seeks to recover from an institutional crisis and restore its governance.

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Pérez officially assumed office on Friday, July 31, during a ceremony at the committee’s headquarters in Guayaquil. He succeeds Jorge Delgado Panchana, who resigned as COE president amid the organization’s institutional crisis. The committee also confirmed the departure of Secretary General John Zambrano.

The new leadership was appointed as part of a restructuring process agreed upon by the Ecuadorian government and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The initiative aims to resolve the committee’s administrative crisis, restore its normal operations, and ensure compliance with Ecuador’s Sports Law and the Olympic Charter.

🏟 #Deportes | Su llegada marca un hecho histórico para el deporte nacional al convertirse en el primer campeón olímpico en dirigir el organismo.
Los detalles 👇https://t.co/7P3LGV5ikl pic.twitter.com/jUphDIJa0s

— Radio Pichincha (@radio_pichincha) August 1, 2026

Text Reads: His arrival marks a historic milestone for national sports by becoming the first Olympic champion to lead the organization.

The leadership change follows the Ecuadorian government’s temporary intervention in the COE on July 15 after authorities challenged Delgado Panchana’s re-election in May 2025. His executive board was not recognized by the country’s sports authorities.

Pérez will head a new executive board that includes Lorena Arroyo as first vice president and Francisco Carvallo OLY as second vice president.

Ecuador’s Most Decorated Olympian

Widely regarded as Ecuador’s most accomplished Olympian, Pérez won the gold medal in the men’s 20-kilometer race walk at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and claimed silver in the same event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

His appointment marks a new chapter for the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee as it works to strengthen support for athletes ahead of future Olympic Games.

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