ANITA DEFRANTZ (UNITED STATES)
AGE: 48
SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS: Rowing bronze medallist and U.S. team captain at 1976 Montreal Olympics. World championship silver medallist (1978).
CAREER: Lawyer, administrator.
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 organising 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 to the other candidates. She might have more chance of winning 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.
KIM UN-YONG (SOUTH KOREA)
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 organising 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 organisations as well as being a serious figure in international political circles. Fluent English speaker who also speaks French, Spanish and 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.
DICK POUND (CANADA)
AGE: 59
SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS: Olympic swimming finalist in 100 metres freestyle at 1960 Rome Games, freestyle gold medallist at 1962 Commonwealth Games.
CAREER: Lawyer, chartered accountant, author, university chancellor.
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. President of the World Anti-Doping Agency.
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 organisation for some time.
WEAKNESSES: May lose votes from some members because of his role as head of the commission which threw members out of the organisation after the Salt Lake bribery scandal in 1998 and 1999. Has a tendency to speak his mind which can upset people.
JACQUES ROGGE (BELGIUM)
AGE: 59
SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS: Sailing 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-linguist who has a reputation for solving problems through negotiation, factor which helped him organise successful Sydney Games. A natural diplomat.
WEAKNESSES: Some members question whether he is tough enough for the job. He is not as experienced in IOC and sport politics as Pound and Kim.
PAL SCHMITT (HUNGARY)
AGE: 59
SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS: Team epee gold medallist at 1968 Mexico Games and 1972 Munich Games.
CAREER: Hotel administration, director of national stadium, Hungarian ambassador to Spain (1993-97) and Switzerland (1999-present).
SPORTS ADMINISTRATION EXPERIENCE: Leading positions in Hungarian Olympic Committee since 1989. Member of IOC since 1983, 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 his main rivals.
Reuters
