Juan Antonio Samaranch will retire after 21 years in charge of
the International Olympic Committee in July. The new IOC president will be decided among five candidates in a vote of all IOC
members in Moscow on July 16.
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Anita DeFrantz
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United States
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AGE: 48
SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS: Rowing bronze medalist and U.S. team
captain at 1976 Olympics. World championship silver
medalist (1978).
CAREER: Qualified attorney
SPORTS ADMINISTRATION EXPERIENCE: Member of board of
directors of U.S. Rowing Association. Member of IOC since 1986.
IOC vice-president since 1997. Vice-president of organizing
committee of 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
STRENGTHS: The most powerful woman in world sports
administration. This could be a dry run for DeFrantz, who is
relatively young compared with the other candidates. She might
have more chance of winning the race next time. She has
campaigned for more women in sport and sports administration.
WEAKNESSES: Struggles to speak French, the IOC's second
language. Not a naturally charismatic figure.
CHANCES: Very unlikely to be in the top two finishers in
vote. Could even go out in first round of voting.
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Kim Un-yong
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South Korea
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AGE: 70
SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS: Competed at taekwondo, judo and
athletics at national championship level.
CAREER: Former secretary to the prime minister. United
Nations General Assembly delegate (1965), special envoy of the
South Korean President (1990), Ambassador at Large (1996),
member of council of advisors in Korean unification (1997).
SPORTS ADMINISTRATION EXPERIENCE: Vice-president of
organizing committee of 1988 Seoul Olympics. President of the
World Taekwondo Federation, President of the General Association
of Sports Federations (GAISF) (since 1986). Member of IOC since 1986. Has served on executive board
and as vice-president.
STRENGTHS: A powerful and influential man in world sports
organizations as well as being a serious figure in international
political circles. Fluent English speaker who also speaks
French, Spanish, Japanese. Kim probably has more influential
contacts in and out of sport than any of the other candidates.
WEAKNESSES: Kim is the oldest of the candidates. He was
handed a "most serious warning" by the ad-hoc commission
investigating the Salt Lake City bribery scandal in 1998 and
1999. The commission found a Salt Lake bid official had arranged
to pay at least part of the salary of Kim's son when he worked
for a U.S. company. Kim denied all knowledge of the arrangement
and the commission said in a report that it could not
prove otherwise. Media could focus on this during campaign.
CHANCES: Very likely to reach the last round of voting and a
strong candidate for the job.
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Dick Pound
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Canada
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AGE: 59
SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS: Olympic swimming finalist in 100
meters freestyle at 1960 Rome Games, freestyle gold medalist at
1962 Commonwealth Games.
CAREER: Lawyer, lecturer
SPORTS ADMINISTRATION EXPERIENCE: Member of IOC since 1978.
First voted on to executive board in 1983 and held office of
vice-president. Chairman of commission for television rights
negotiations since 1983 and marketing since 1998.
STRENGTHS: A key player in turning the Olympics into a
commercial success through marketing and television rights
deals, Pound has a reputation as a tough negotiator who has had
a high-profile role at the organization for some time.
WEAKNESSES: May lose votes from some members because of his
role as head of the commission that threw members out of the
organization after the Salt Lake bribery scandal in 1998 and
1999. Has a tendency to speak his mind, which can upset people.
CHANCES: With three heavyweight candidates in the battle,
one serious figure is likely to go out before the final round of
voting. Some believe Pound might not make it through but the
Canadian could cause a surprise.
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Jacques Rogge
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Belgium
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AGE: 58
SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS: Yachting competitor at 1968, 1972 and
1976 Olympics. World champion. Won 10 caps for Belgian national
rugby team.
CAREER: Orthopaedic surgeon. Former sports medicine
lecturer.
SPORTS ADMINISTRATION EXPERIENCE: President of the European
Olympic Committees since 1989. Chef de mission at Winter Games
in Innsbruck (1976) and Calgary (1988) and Summer Games in
Moscow (1980), Los Angeles (1984) and Seoul (1988). IOC
member since 1991. Member of IOC medical commission and chief
coordinator for 2000 Sydney Games and 2004 Athens Games.
STRENGTHS: Multi-lingual leader who has a reputation for
solving problems through negotiation, which helped him organize
successful Sydney Games. A natural diplomat.
WEAKNESSES: Some members may think he is not tough enough
for the job. He is not as experienced in IOC and sport politics
as Pound and Kim.
CHANCES: Rogge is the hot favorite to win in some people's
minds, especially outside the IOC, but few IOC members are
prepared to call the outcome.
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Pal Schmitt
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Hungary
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AGE: 58
SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS: Team epée gold medalist at 1968
Mexico Games and 1972 Munich Games.
CAREER: Hotel administration, director of national stadium,
Hungary ambassador to Spain (1993-97)
SPORTS ADMINISTRATION EXPERIENCE: Leading positions in
Hungarian Olympic Committee since 1989. Member of IOC since 1983
and was first voted on to the executive board in 1991 and has
held office of vice president. Member of coordination commission
for Winter Games in Albertville (1992) and Lillehammer (1994).
Vice-chairman of athletes commission (1984-88)
STRENGTHS: Experienced IOC operator who speaks several
languages.
WEAKNESSES: Has not held as high-profile positions as main
rivals.
CHANCES: Unlikely to get past the early rounds of voting.
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