Oswald Poised to Join Race for IOC Presidency; Backs Lapasset for SportAccord Job

(ATR) Denis Oswald tellsAround the Ringshe expects to announce his candidacy for the IOC presidency soon after SportAccord in St. Petersburg.

The head of the International Rowing Federation has been considering entering the race to succeed Jacques Rogge for months. The Swiss said he’s virtually certain to stand having consulted with many IOC colleagues.

"Yes, I think I will have enough support to take my chance. I just don’t want to run and be out in the first round with just three or four votes," he told ATR.

"But I am still waiting for discussions I will have with other colleagues and then I will make my final decision. As it looks I think I will go ahead."

He added: "I will wait until SportAccord and see a few more colleagues I have not talked to and hopefully this will be the last few I need to be fully convinced I have a chance."

Oswald’s reputation has been enhanced by his presidency of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations and chairmanship of the London 2012 coordination commission.

The 66-year-old said he was confident he could make a valuable contribution to the Olympic Movement if he became IOC president. "As an athlete in three Olympic Games, I know sport from the bottom upwards.

"I have been active in delivering two Olympics with London and Athens and doing a lot with the federations. There was a good spirit of cooperation in the Executive Board with me representing the IFs, trying to find consensus and compromise not war as it had been before between the different groups."

He added: "I have a very broad view of the Olympic Movement based on that experience. I think I have some ideas of how our organization can progress. That is what I would propose to my colleagues."

If Oswald decides to go for the IOC presidency, he would join a race that already includes Germany’s Thomas Bach and Singapore’s Ng Ser Miang.

International Boxing Association chief C.K. Wu is poised to declare his candidacy for the top job in world sports administration later this week. Richard Carrion of Puerto Rico has indicated that he will also throw his hat into the ring before the June 10 deadline.

Oswald is mentioned as a possible candidate for the presidency of the World Anti-Doping Agency. A new president coming from sport will be elected to succeed John Fahey in the fall./>"I have been asked by different people whether I would be prepared to run for it," the FISA president admitted.

"I have more interest for the presidency of the IOC. I’m not considering it at the moment."

Oswald on SportAccord Presidency, Wrestling

Marius Vizer and Bernard Lapasset, the presidents of the international judo and rugby federations, are vying for the SportAccord presidency next week.

Oswald is not in favor of the United World Championships proposed by Vizer, making clear his support for Lapasset.

"For me this is just attacking the Olympic Games," he told ATR.

"If you have world championships at the same time and place, it is kind of an Olympics.I think it would be a wrong approach. The Olympic Games should remain unique. We have to protect the Olympic Games."

With Vizer also proposing to scrap the SportAccord name if he wins the presidency, if backed by colleagues, Oswald added: "I think revolution is never really good. We must go step by step."

Oswald also weighed in on the 2020 sports bidding debate, in particular the controversial proposal by the IOC Executive Board to drop wrestling from the list of 25 core sports.

"I think it was a big mistake to eliminate wrestling," he said.

"Now we have the option to correct this mistake. If we take wrestling back, there would be no new sport. It is very unfortunate because the idea is to refresh the program and add some new sports."

Karate, squash and wrestling are tipped to be shortlisted by the IOC next week after all bidders have presented to the EB, with baseball/softball, roller sports, sport climbing, wakeboarding and wushu cut from the pack.

Oswald added: "It is difficult to cut wrestling as it is such an important sport but the consequences are really bad for the other sports who are fighting to get a place.

"The [sports program] process needs to be reviewed."

The vote on the sport to fill the one slot available on the program for the 2020 Games takes place at the IOC Session in Buenos Aires on Sept. 8.

Reported by Mark Bisson.

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