Campaigns To Succeed Jacques Rogge Begin To Take Shape

With the IOC election nine months away, the campaign to succeed President Jacques Rogge is "forging ahead behind the scenes without fanfare, policy platforms, debates, or any declared candidates for that matter," according to Stephen Wilson of the AP. Rogge, who has led the organization since '01, will step down at the end of his term in September. Although no one yet has spoken openly about replacing him, the list of potential contenders is "an open secret in IOC circles." Heading the perspective field are Thomas Bach, Richard Carrion and Ng Ser Miang. All three were in Lausanne, Switzerland this month for IOC meetings, and they were "hard to miss." While Bach and Ng are VPs who sit on the ruling exec board, Carrion is no longer a board member and "must make an extra effort from outside the inner circle" (AP, 12/19).