Rubén Acosta

Rubén Acosta studied education, science, and social science at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, graduating in 1963. From 1963-73 he worked as a lawyer for General Electric in Mexico. Acosta then completed a course in sports administration and became a consultant at the National Sports Institute (INDE). From 1978 to 2000, he worked as a private consultant in international trademark law, marketing, and governmental procedures.

In 1965 Acosta was appointed President of the Mexican Volleyball Federation. In 1969 he founded the North, Central America, and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA), serving as President until 1984, when he was elected President of the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB). Under his leadership the FIVB became one of the world’s wealthiest and largest international sports federations, with over 210 national associations affiliated with it.

In 2000 Acosta was co-opted onto the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in his role as FIVB President. In 2002 the FIVB World Cup was held in Argentina and the head of the organizing committee, Mario Goijman, had used his own funds to support the event, resulting in his own bankruptcy. He then sued Acosta in Swiss courts, accusing him of financial misconduct and fraud.

The IOC Ethics Commission took up the case, and shortly before their decisions were announced in 2004, Acosta resigned from the IOC. However, he remained as President of the FIVB, stepping down from that position in 2008. The Swiss courts eventually threw out Goijman’s lawsuit.