IOC Session Opens in Beijing

The gala open of the IOC Session Monday night at the Grand National Theater included the premier of “Dream Under the Olympic Flag”, a work for voices and orchestra.(ATR)(ATR) On the eve of the Beijing Olympics the IOC opens its annual Session with an agenda that includes elections of new members of the Executive Board and a host for the IOC Session where the 2018 Olympic city will be chosen.

While scheduled for three days, IOC President Jacques Rogge tells Around the Rings that the meeting could be shorter than that.

“It depends on the members,” he says, noting that this meeting is their once-a-year chance to gather as a group to discuss the work of the IOC, hear reports and conduct other business.

The first few hours of the Session Tuesday morningcovered areas such as marketing, women and sport and culture.

Three Excused Members

Three of the 115 members of the IOC are excused from the Session. Most notable among them is Kun Hee Lee of South Korea. The chairman of Samsung is still dealing with the aftermath of his court case in which he was found guilty of charges involving a slush fund at the company. He received a suspended jail sentence, but is not believed to be facing any issues involving his IOC membership.

Barbara Kendall of New Zealand is a competitor in the Olympic regatta, so she is sailing in Qingdao, preparing for the Games instead of attending the Session.

Ice hockey star Sakko Koivu of Finland is the third excused member for the Session.

Frank Fredericks New Athletes Chairman

Namibian running great Frank Fredericks is the new chair of the IOC Athletes Commission, elected in two rounds of voting Monday by the commission. First to be cut was Pernilla Wiberg; Rania Elwani of Egypt was edged by Fredericks in the second round. Outgoing IOC Athletes Commission chair Sergey Bubka with his successor, Frank Fredericks.(Getty Images)

Fredericks succeeds Sergey Bubka, whose term ends this year, along with his automatic membership on the IOC.

Bubka, however, has a good shot at staying on the IOC as he is one of two candidates who are up for election for new IOC seats.

Fredericks will also take a seat on the IOC Executive Board as is customary for the Athletes Commission chairman.

Elections for EB, New Members

Among the final pieces of business for the IOC Session is the election of new members and three seats on the Executive Board.

Along with Bubka, who is nominated in his role The IOC Session is scheduled to run until Thursday at the Beijing Hotel. (ATR)as president of the Ukraine National Olympic Committee, archery federation president Ugur Erdener is the other candidate for membership.

Both men should be elected without issue, as will Zaiqing Yu of China, who will leave his regular seat on the EB to become a vice president. He is the only candidate.

Less certain is the outcome of the contest for the two open seats on EB. Richard Carrion of Puerto Rico is hoping to hang onto his seat for a new term. But the Finance Commission chair faces competition: Craig Reedie of Great Britain and Nawal El Moutawakel of Morocco are the other candidates. One of these three will end up the odd man (or women) out.

OCOG Reports

The Wednesday agenda for the Session includes a series of reports from organizing committees for upcoming Games in 2010, 2012 and 2014.

John Furlong, CEO of Vancouver reports for his OCOG, Chairman Sebastian Coe for London 2012 and Dmitry Chernyshenko, Sochi 2014 CEO, will cover plans for the Russian Games.

Beijing 2008 President Liu Qi will report Tuesday afternoon to the IOC Session.

Written by Ed Hula

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