The successor to IOC President Jacques Rogge "will remain an unpaid volunteer after all six presidential hopefuls turned down the idea of a salary," according to Karolos Grohmann of REUTERS. Rogge, who will step down in September after 12 years in charge, "had recently suggested that the IOC Presidency should be a paid position" as the duties of leading the world's biggest multi-sports organization amounted to a full-time job. Six candidates "have stepped forward" to succeed Rogge. Elections are set for Sept. 10 at the IOC session in Buenos Aires. Rogge: "We discussed the issue of remuneration and I explained why I launched the idea. All six of them said they did not want to be remunerated, so that settles the matter for these elections" (REUTERS, 5/31). The AP reported Rogge is "already looking ahead to his final day in office." Rogge: "I am definitely in the last stretch. I see the finish line and I see the ribbon, and on the ribbon it is written 10th of September, 2013. I hope to cross it in good shape, leaving a strong, well-organized IOC to my successor and having fulfilled my duty" (AP, 5/31). CNA reported Taiwan's Wu Ching-kuo "was elected" to the Association of Summer Olympic Int'l Federations Council. Pundits said that Wu's election to the ruling body "can be seen as a boost in his running" for the IOC presidency (CNA, 5/31).
WRESTLING'S RETURN: In another piece, REUTERS' Grohmann reported a "shock" IOC decision to remove wrestling from the 2020 Olympic Games program, and then include it in a shortlist of sports for those Games "was no mistake." Rogge: "I do not see shortcomings in the system, I do not see errors in the system." The IOC set out to revamp the Games program "to make it more relevant to a younger generation of fans and sponsors." However, with wrestling back as a candidate for inclusion, "the procedure has been heavily criticised for having achieved little change." Rogge: "We do not want change for change. The purpose is to have the best possible Olympic Games." IOC VP Thomas Bach, seen as a frontrunner to succeed Rogge, said that wrestling "had got the message and shaped up just in time." Bach: "Wrestling gave a very good presentation, you could clearly see they got the message" (REUTERS, 5/31).
