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Fok confident of getting IOC nod for another term

Hong Kong's Timothy Fok Tsun-ting is so confident of winning another term as an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member that he will not lobby his colleagues.

The president of Hong Kong Olympic Committee was first elected in Moscow in 2001 and, according to the rules, he has to stand for re-election after an eight-year term. A secret ballot will be held tomorrow at the IOC session in Copenhagen.

'I'm very proud to have worked for the Olympic Movement for eight years and want to continue my service to sports,' said Fok (pictured), who would not reveal which city he voted for to host the 2016 Games.

'I don't think I need to lobby my colleagues for re-election as my record says everything. It was in Moscow that Beijing won the bid for the 2008 Summer Games of which Hong Kong was later chosen to host the equestrian events. While the Beijing Olympics won exceptional reviews, Hong Kong's equestrian events also impressed IOC members. In fact, it's not only Hong Kong that has been put on the world sporting map but the entire region. There have been many new initiatives, such as the Asian Indoor Games, Beach Games, and Martial Arts Games in recent years. And I hope more can be done in promoting Asian sports if I get re-elected.'

Fok was a member of the Beijing Olympic Games Co-ordination Commission and is still serving in the Culture and Olympic Education and International Relations Commissions. He also said the session would likely agree on the IOC executive board's recommendations to add golf and rugby sevens to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

'The Rugby Sevens is the biggest annual sporting event in Hong Kong and is also going to be played at the East Asian Games in Hong Kong in December. It will be a tremendous boost to us if it becomes a new Olympic sport,' he said.

There are currently 106 IOC members with a maximum of 115 allowed. The session will also elect president Jacques Rogge for another four-year term as he is unopposed.

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