However, questions remain over who will take the organisation's seat on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board.

Current President Denis Oswald of Switzerland has decided to resign from the role so that ASOIF retains a position on the Board when the 64-year-old finishes his eight-year term on it at the London 2012 Olympics.

Ricci Bitti (pictured top), the President of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), will succeed Oswald as ASOIF President after he was the only person to put forward his name ahead of the deadline at midnight last night as insidethegames confirmed would be the case be last week.

The 70-year-old Italian will formally take up the position, by acclimation, at the ASOIF General Assembly, which is due to take place in Quebec City during SportAccord, on May 22.

Ordinarily the ASOIF President would also take the organisation's seat on the IOC Executive Board as long as they are an IOC member.

Although Ricci Bitti is currently an IOC member, his current age [on December 31 this year] will make him ineligible to be a member under current rules, meaning that an IOC colleague will almost certainly take up the position.

With several high-profile candidates thought to be interested in securing the prestigious role, ASOIF director Andrew Ryan revealed that the issue is most likely to face a vote at the General Assembly, even though there is an ASOIF Council meeting only two days before on May 20.

"Our Council will almost certainly give the power to the General Assembly to decide the IOC Executive Board representative because the Assembly is our highest authority," Ryan told insidethegames.

"The candidates will not be required to put themselves forward until the General Assembly itself on May 22.

"If there is more than one candidate, which there may well be, there will be a vote during the General Assembly from our 28 member federations and the chosen candidate would then be nominated to the IOC to be approved to join its Executive Board."

International Boxing Association (AIBA) President C K Wu of Taiwan is believed to be leading the way to claim ASOIF's IOC Executive Board spot.

The 65-year-old billionaire, educated in England, and who has been AIBA President since 2006 as well as a member of the IOC for the past 24 years, is a close friend of Ricci Bitti; indeed, the pair sat together at the World Series of Boxing (WSB) Team final – one of the biggest events on the amateur boxing calendar – at ExCeL in London last week.


International Cycling Union (UCI) President Pat McQuaid (pictured above) of Ireland, who is currently the ASOIF vice-president, is also thought to be a key contender.

In addition, International Triathlon Union (ITU) President Marisol Casado of Spain and International Basketball Federation (FIBA) secretary general Patrick Baumann of Switzerland are being mentioned as potential candidates, and both sit on the eight-member ASOIF Council.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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May 2012: Exclusive - Ricci Bitti set to be elected new ASOIF President
February 2012: Oswald resigns as ASOIF President to leave clear path for successor
January 2012: Oswald set to step down as ASOIF President