By David Owen
June 9 – The frontrunner in the race for the most powerful post in world sport has backed FIFA’s reform process, saying world football’s governing body is “on the right track”. Thomas Bach, a German ex-fencer and Olympic gold medallist, is one of six candidates vying to succeed Jacques Rogge, as President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the organisation behind the Olympic Games.
Bach made the comment in a conference call with global media to discuss his ideas for the future of the Olympic Movement.
Bach also indicated a level of contentment with the format of the Olympic football competitions that suggests he would be unlikely to push for changes if elected, at least not in the immediate future.
He described the current position as “a good compromise.
“Both FIFA and the IOC can live with this formula at this point in time,” he said.
At present, while the women’s Olympic football competition has no age restriction, the men’s tournament is for under-23s, although each team is allowed to include three older players.
Although widely seen as the likeliest winner, Bach faces stiff competition for the much-coveted post from five other men: Ser Miang Ng of Singapore; Puerto Rico’s Richard Carrión; Ching-Kuo Wu of Taiwan; Denis Oswald of Switzerland; and Sergey Bubka, the former pole-vaulter from Ukraine.
Only one non-European has ever served as President of the more than century-old organisation. Avery Brundage from the USA was the fifth president of the International Olympic Committee, serving from 1952 to 1972.
Both Sepp Blatter, FIFA’s President, and Issa Hayatou, President of the African Football Confederation (CAF) are IOC members with a direct say in the outcome of the contest.
The winner will be decided at the IOC Session in Buenos Aires in September.
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