In a document named "My Five Rings", the 66-year-old International Rowing Federation (FISA) leader and former Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) chief presented his programme for the future of the IOC, should he be elected to replace incumbent Jacques Rogge, at the House of International Sport (MSI) in Lausanne today.

It is essential, the Swiss says, to create "one clear vision that guides it [the IOC] and indicates the direction to take", adding that "it must be shared by members of the organisation".

In what he calls his "Fifth Ring" he speaks about the Olympic Games, saying they "must be protected and parallel competitions that could lessen their significance must be prevented", which could ruffle a few feathers, particularly at SportAccord where newly elected President Marius Vizer has outlined plans for a radical new quadrennial united World Championships.

Although, Vizer, who is also President of the International Judo Federation (IJF), insists his concept will not be a rival to the Olympics, he has said it will involve all 91 members of the umbrella organisation, which looks after all Olympic as well as non-Olympic international sports federations.

The 53-year-old Hungary-based Vizer, who claims to already has a list of sponsors lined-up including Russian Government-owned energy supplier Gazprom, hopes to launch the new initiative as early as in 2017 and now plans to begin detailed discussions with the sports, which range from established Olympic sports like athletics and boxing to its newest member, cheerleading.

Oswald's manifesto also says that he advocates "revisiting the approach to the Games' programme in a different and more creative way" and, although he does not elaborate more on this point yet it could have major implications for the sports currently bidding to make it onto the programme for the 2020 Olympics – wrestling, squash and baseball-softball.


He goes on to say that established sports could "streamline" some disciplines where "only four or five nations" usually win medals.

Other points raised his election document include his mission to promote the "moral and educational values" of the Olympic Movement, while achieving "good governance, transparency and ethics which will then reinforce the public image of the IOC".

Meanwhile, his Fourth Ring, "Structure and Operations", remains a mystery as he explains that "these points directly affect the [IOC] members and he would like to present them first to the members" – he does say, however, that a detailed document for the members is being prepared and will be sent to them in the near future.

Oswald, who has been an IOC member since 1991, is currently up against five other candidates to replace Rogge when he steps down in September after 12 years in office.

Germany's Thomas Bach, Singapore's Ng Ser Miang, Taiwan's C K Wu, Puerto Rica's Richard Carrión and Ukraine's Sergey Bubka have all confirmed that they plan to stand for the most powerful position in global sport, with the new President to be elected at the IOC Session in Buenos Aires on September 10.

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