Barring further last-minute notifications, this means that 96 of the 104 current IOC members - including FIFA President Sepp Blatter - will participate in the debates and votes on IOC President Thomas Bach's 40 Agenda 2020 reform recommendations.

The full list of IOC members excused from the Session is as follows: Peter Tallberg from Finland, James Easton from the United States, Lee Kun-Hee from South Korea, General Mounir Sabet from Egypt, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani from Qatar, Andrés Botero Phillipsbourne from Colombia, Yumilka Ruiz Luaces from Cuba and Norway's Ole Einar Bjørndalen.

Some of the absences are understood to be on grounds of ill health.

The Session is expected to approve a series of reform proposals, including steps to cut the cost of bidding for and hosting the Games, measures to permit greater flexibility in the sporting programme and, most importantly, the establishment of a new Olympic television/media channel.

Norway's eight-time Olympic gold medallist Ole Einar Bjørndalen is among eight IOC members who will be missing at the Session to discuss Agenda 2020 ©Getty Images

The absence of Bjørndalen, the most medalled athlete in the history of the Olympic Winter Games, with 13 Olympic medals, did not stop the IOC from quoting him on their website about the impact of this Session.

"The recommendations in Olympic Agenda 2020 are designed to change the bidding process in a positive way," he said.

"I think it is a step forward that the bidding cities will have the chance to focus on Games that work in the local context - socially, economically and environmentally."

Most unusually, voting on the 40 Agenda 2020 proposals is to be open, by show of hands, in contrast to the secret electronic balloting system that is generally deployed at IOC Sessions.

If this voting procedure is regarded as setting a precedent, it could ironically turn out to be one of the more far-reaching reforms initiated at this 127th Session.