Thomas Bach Ready to Run

(ATR) The race for IOC president will soon have its first declared candidate. German news agencies report that IOC vice president Thomas Bach will announce his candidacy for the IOC presidency on Thursday.

DPA says it has received confirmation from the IOC that Bach has sent a letter to current IOC President Jacques Rogge notifying him of the intent to run. Another report says the two men talked by phone today.

Bach, who is also president of the German NOC, has been considered the early favorite for the IOC post. As many as five candidates could run for the election, set for Sep. 10 at the IOC Session in Buenos Aires.

German NOC spokesman Christian Klaue tells ATR that he cannot confirm Bach’s declaration is coming. But he says Bach will hold a press conference midday in Frankfurt, followed by a briefing for international media.

Bach, 59, is a fencing gold medalist from the 1976 Olympics and has served as an IOC member since 1991. He is a lawyer by profession.

Candidates to succeed Jacques Rogge, who reaches the limit of his term, are supposed to declare by June 10, three months before the election.

Other candidates are expected to include Ser Miang Ng of Singapore, himself an IOC vice president and Richard Carrion, IOC member from Puerto Rico.

Other names mentioned include Denis Oswald of Switzerland, C.K. Wu of Chinese Taipei, Sergei Bubka from Ukraine and Rene Fasel of Switzerland.

Reported by Ed Hula in Atlanta and Peter Kreuzer in Germany

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