Melitón Sánchez

Melitón Sánchez Rivas was an accountant who founded the firm Sánchez Rivas Associates. He also served as the accounting director of Venpana, S.A. (Intl. Bank at Colon Free Zone), the controller and accounting director of Grupo Biskayna, S.A., and was an international accounting services consultant.

Sánchez Rivas played baseball and softball as a youth and then became an organizer of baseball and softball leagues from 1965-75. He was named President of the Panamanian Softball Federation in 1975, holding that position until 2010. From 1981-88 he led the Central American and Caribbean Softball Confederation. With the International Softball Federation, Sánchez Rivas was President for Latin America (1984-2000) and then an executive board member beginning in 2000.

With the Panamanian National Olympic Committee Sánchez Rivas was treasurer from 1972-80 and then President from 1982-2007, after which he was made Honorary President for Life. With the Bolivarian Sports Organisation (ODEBO) he was President from 1986-90, and then treasurer from 1988-98. Sánchez Rivas was a board member of the Pan American Sports Organisation (PASO) from 1998-2008, and President of the Central American Sports Organisation (ORDECA) from 2001-10.

Sánchez Rivas was made a Member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1998, and served the IOC through 2014, after which he was made an Honorary Member. With the IOC he was a member of the commissions for Women and Sport (2002-15) and Olympic Education (2006-15).