ESPN.com - OLY - The race to replace Samaranch -- the candidates

 
Tuesday, April 17
Updated: July 12, 5:03 PM ET
The race to replace Samaranch -- the candidates

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.

Anita DeFrantz United States
Anita DeFrantz 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.

Kim Un-yong South Korea
Kim Un-yong 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.

Dick Pound Canada
Dick Pound 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.

Jacques Rogge Belgium
Jacques Rogge 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.

Pal Schmitt Hungary
Pal Schmitt 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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