Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) President Francesco Ricci Bitti believes a reformed International Olympic Committee (IOC) should better reflect "relevant stakeholders".

He had been asked to compare the composition of the IOC with the International Paralympic Committee, whose voting system includes governing bodies and National Paralympic Committees, as well as Governing Board members and continental bodies.

"The IFs are organising many events in Paris and LA as you can see in the two bid files for the 2024 Olympic Games," Ricci Bitti told insidethegames.

"Between them they know the opportunities and threats and their expertise will be better utilised in the new Games delivery model. 

"ASOIF is also well represented in the Evaluation Commission assessing the bids. 

"I firmly believe IFs therefore deserve a major say in the awarding of the Games.  

"A vote from the IOC membership is still relevant and provides accountability in the decision-making process. 

"However, a reformed IOC should give more transparency and include all the relevant stakeholders whose influence must be appropriately balanced."

At present, the 95 IOC members includes 15 representatives each from the International Federations, as well as athletes and National Olympic Committees.

These are all chosen by the IOC rather than the Federations themselves. 

Voting for host cities is their foremost responsibility, although it is likely that IOC reforms will involve a shift away from a formal bidding process to encourage a lower number of candidates.

Ricci Bitti, the 75-year-old former International Tennis Federation President, is not an IOC member after passing the age limit of 70 in 2012.

The Italian, speaking before an IOC Extraordinary Session due to to start here tomorrow, also called for the Federations to be closely involved in the new Games Delivery model being implemented following the problems which overshadowed preparations for Rio 2016.

"We are living in a period when the Olympic Games as a product is very successful, but few cities are willing to host it," Ricci Bitti said.

"Consequentially, I see three main issues to address.

"The first is a review of the traditional bidding process.

"Secondly, the Games delivery model used in the past really needed to evolve and improve. 

"The new process will see each IF agreeing on a sport delivery plan with the Organising Committee, so, a key element for the 2024 and 2028 Games is to have this new model in place and fully functional. 

"The IFs have great expertise in event delivery - they will sanction and deliver more than 8,000 events between now and the Tokyo 2020 Games - and their capability must be utilised by the IOC in order to be operationally efficient and save money. 

"The IFs have been fully engaged in the development of the new Games delivery model and it is now up to the IOC to enforce its application with Tokyo 2020 as much as possible and then fully for the 2024 Games."

Ricci Bitti did, however, concede that Federations might have to make concessions on some aspects.

This could include a reduction in the number of spectators attending Olympic events in order to maximise use of temporary or existing venues and to ensure full stadia.

"There is more work to do and the next step may well be for some IFs to show greater flexibility in areas like spectator capacity to fit in with using all possible venues that already exist in a city," he told insidethegames.

"At the end of the day, it is far better to have full capacities in medium sized facilities rather than half empty venues which is what we often see at multi-sport games."

Ricci Bitti praised the recent changes to the Olympic sports programme for Tokyo 2020 but warned it cannot continue to grow.

Basketball 3x3, BMX freestyle and mixed relays in athletics, swimming and triathlon were among new disciplines and events approved by the IOC Executive Board here last month.

"Generally speaking, my initial reaction was positive," Ricci Bitti said.

"ASOIF supported three concepts regarding the revision of the Olympic programme i) innovative sports that appeal to young audiences within existing sports such as 3x3 basketball, ii) quota neutral mixed events; and iii) new ways of presenting existing disciplines. 

"However, the size of the Games continues to be a challenge and it is clear that it cannot continue to get bigger and bigger. 

"This is simply not sustainable. 

"However, the total athlete number is only one issue. 

"I have referred earlier to working with IFs and bid cities to match existing facilities to sports on the programme as a really big cost saver. 

"I would also question the need to engage Organising Committee workforce seven years before the Games. 

"With the new sport delivery plan and less construction needed in the future, a smaller OCOG (Organising Committee for the Organisation of the Olympic Games) workforce will be required, and recruited and trained at a later date in the project timetable."