Rogge and co - the 15 Olympic powerbrokers with a big decision to make

By Chris Cottrell, Sportsbeat

THIS week the International Olympic Committee's Executive Board meets in Berlin to discuss a packed agenda.

LOTS TO DISCUSS: The International Olympic Committee, headed by president Jacques Rogge, hold their Executive Board meeting at Berlin's Intercontinental

Among their deliberations is the proposed inclusion of women's boxing at London 2012 while baseball, golf, karate, roller sports, rugby sevens, softball and squash will be sweating on their deliberations, as they trim a shortlist of seven proposed sports for the 2016 Games down to two. 

Sportsbeat's Chris Cottrell gives the lowdown on 15 of the most powerful men and women in sport - and makes a tongue in cheek guess about their voting intentions.

 JACQUES ROGGE has ruled the roost as IOC president for the past eight years and his Olympic credentials are second to none.

As well as competing in yachting at three consecutive Games between 1968 and 1976, the Belgian served as European Olympic Committee president between 1989 and 2001 and became a member of the Executive Board in 1998.

He has spurned the trappings of office enjoyed by Juan Antonio Samaranch and his tenure has not been so controversial.

However, Rogge famously criticised athletics’ biggest money-spinner Usain Bolt for disrespecting his fellow sprinters by celebrating before he crossed the line in Beijing.

On top of yachting, Rogge was capped at rugby union for Belgium - the sleeping giants of international rugby - so maybe Rogge will go for rugger in the vote? Makes sense to me.

 LAMBIS V. NIKOLAOU is the sole Greek representative on the Executive Board and has been one of four vice presidents since 2005.

The 73-year old was a civil engineer by trade and has a rich history of sports administration, including membership on the executive committee of the European Olympic Committee between 1989 and 1993, and since 1997.

Nikolaou does seem to have occasional lapses with timing though. He was vice president of the Organising Committee for the Athens Olympics in 2004 where the construction of the venues fell disastrously behind schedule.

And it was also alleged that Nikolaou pressed the wrong button in the third round of voting for the 2012 hosts, with the Greek claiming he hadn’t had enough to time to register his vote.

With his apparent timing issues, perhaps Nikolaou would favour the slow-paced game of golf although he may well vote for one of the others accidentally.

 Japan’s CHIHARU IGAYA has been vice president of the IOC since 2005 and was an executive board member between 1987-1991 and 1996-2000.

The 78-year old is also a former Olympian but his expertise lies in winter sports.

Igaya competed as a skier at three Winter Olympics in Oslo 1952, Cortina d’Ampezzo 1956 and Squaw Valley 1960, winning slalom silver in ‘56.

With the obvious crossovers between the roller sports and speed skating, you might expect Igaya to side with roller sports.

But as Igaya studied in the USA, and with the Japanese notoriously nutty about their sport, perhaps Igaya will go for baseball.

 THOMAS BACH was IOC vice president from 2000 to 2004 and was re-elected in 2006.

Hailing from Wurzburg in Germany, the 55-year old has a background in law and politics but is one of the few Olympic gold medal winners on the board.

Bach was part of the German fencing team that won foil gold in Montreal 1976 and went on to claim world and European titles.

And the German has been heavily involved with the administration of major sporting events in his home country - during the past few years he was a board member of the Organising Committee for the 2006 Football World Cup in Germany and is the founding president of the German Olympic Sports Confederation.

As a fan of man-on-man swordplay, I think it’s fair to say Bach won’t be swayed by softball’s virtues and perhaps the rough and tumble of karate might be more attractive?

 ZAIGING YU was elected as a vice president of the IOC in 2008, having served on the executive board for the previous four years.

The Chinese 58-year-old paid his dues as an administrator at the Chinese State Sports Commission for 16 years between 1975 and 1991 before progressing to director general in the mid-90s.

And Mr Yu has been keeping his fingers in Chinese sporting pies ever since as president of the Chinese Rowing Association, Automobile Association and Basketball Association and executive vice-president of the Asian Cycling Confederation.

As executive vice-president of Bocog, Yu also had a pivotal role in the organisation of the highly successful Beijing Olympics.

By the look of Mr Yu’s credentials, a Formula One-style event would be the favoured vote but with no motorsports yet to put their name forward, perhaps Yu will opt for the most high profile sportsmen available - Tiger Woods et al.

 Singapore’s NG SER MIANG has been a member of the executive board since 2005.

The 50-year-old has a background in yachting, having competed at an international level.

He was also vice-president of the International Sailing Federation between 1994 and 1998 and president of the Asian Yachting Federation between 1995 and 1997.

Miang is known to be a big fan of golf but as president of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee, perhaps he will side with the more youth-friendly roller sports.

 MARIO PESCANTE is a former Italian university athletics champion over 1500m and was voted on to the executive board in 2006.

Pescante’s background lies in Italian politics, having served as Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities between 2001 and 2006.

Although he never competed at the Olympic Games, the Italian has plenty of experience. He was chef de mission for the Italian team in Montreal 1976, Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988, as well as the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck 1976, Lake Placid 1980, Sarajevo 1984 and Calgary 1988.

Pescante was also Secretary General of the European Olympic Committee from 1989 until 2001, when he took over from Jacques Rogge as president.

With a penchant for culture, Pescante may be drawn in by karate’s history and heritage.

 South African SAM RAMSAMY has been a member of the executive board since 2006.

The 71-year-old was a keen athlete but has also coached swimming and football at a national level.

Ramsamy was awarded honorary life presidency of Swimming South Africa in 2004 and is vice-president of FINA. He was also chef de mission for the Barcelona Games in 1992 and the Lillehammer Winter Games of 1994.

With his experience as a football coach, Ramsamy may well opt for the egg-shaped ball this time round.

 Norway’s GERHARD HEIBERG was voted on to the executive board in 2003 and is the sole Scandinavian representative.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of the 70-year-old’s experience lies in winter sports, having served as chairman, president and CEO of the Lillehammer Olympic Organising Committee in the run-up to the 1994 Winter Olympic Games.

Heiberg is more of a businessman than a sportsman and as chairman of the IOC marketing commission since 2001, the Norwegian will be sure to consider the financial side of any decision. Golf it is then.

 Switzerland’s DENIS OSWALD has been a member of the executive board since 2000.

The 62-year-old is a 13-time national rowing champion and competed in three Olympic Games, claiming a bronze in the men’s fours at the 1968 Games in Mexico City.

Oswald has been president of the International Rowing Federation since 1989 but his work for the IOC has been with Games co-ordination.

After working as a member of the co-ordination commission for the Sydney Games in 2000, the Swiss stepped up to chairman for the co-ordination commission for Athens 2004 and has taken up the role again for London 2012.

Oswald may well have plied his trade on the water as an athlete, but is an accomplished sportsman across the board and was also a runner, skier and ice hockey player.

A man of many talents, Oswald is also a lawyer and a judge and the respect and honour of karate will appeal to him.

 RENE FASEL is the newest member of the executive board, having been voted in last year.

A professional ice hockey player in his home country of Switzerland, the 59-year-old also boasts a diploma in dentistry.

Fasel has been president of the International Ice-Hockey Federation since 1994 and president of the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations since 2002.

Ice-hockey players are renowned for trading a few punches and Fasel may be au-fait with bringing a physical sport like rugby sevens into the Summer Games.  

 MARIO VAZQUEZ RANA is a long-serving member of the executive board, having been voted in during 2000.

A former international shooting competitor, the 77-year-old has been involved with the Olympic Solidarity Commission since 1976, taking over as chairman in 2002.

With a degree in business administration, the Mexican will be fully aware of the financial implications of next week’s decision and may well have his eye on the big guns – rugby, golf and baseball.

 FRANKIE FREDERICKS is the youngest board member at just 41 years old.

The Namibian was voted in last year and is a relative newcomer to sports administration having only retired from competition at the end of 2004.

Fredericks won four Olympic silver medals, doubling-up in the 100m and 200m in Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996, as well as bagging one world and two Commonwealth golds.

Fredericks brings some youth to the grey hair of the IOC board and having forged a career out of his speed on the track, he might be partial to bringing in some speed on skates.

 Morocco’s NAWAL EL MOUTAWAKEL was voted in last year and won gold in the 400m hurdles at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984.

After retiring from competition, El Moutawakel was appointed inspector at the Moroccan Ministry of Youth and Sports in 1990.

She moved to Secretary of State to the Ministry of Social Affairs, responsible for Youth and Sport in 1997 before becoming Ministry of Youth and Sports in 2008. 

With her experience in youth sport, El Moutawakel might seem a banker for roller sports, but as the only female member of the board, softball could be El Moutawakel’s game.

 RICHARD L CARRION was voted on to the executive board in 2004.

The 56-year old from Puerto Rico is an economics whizz and is chairman and CEO of Popular, Inc., one of the largest banks in North America.

He has been chairman of the IOC Finance Commission since 2002 and is also chairman of the Audit Committee.

Carrion led the negotiation team for the US broadcast of the 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games – generating $2bn in revenue.

Knowing the power of America in the Olympic Movement and with a head for numbers, baseball is Carrion’s game.