Crunch talks will map out future of games
Gathering of leaders in St Petersburg will tackle three issues - the IOC presidential race, bids for 2020 and which new sport will be included
Call it the perfect storm of Olympic politics. With sports leaders gathering in St Petersburg, Russia, this week for a global convention, three high-profile campaigns will be played out at the same time in an unusual confluence of issues that will set the tone for the future of the Olympic movement.
The race for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidency, the bidding for the 2020 Summer Games and the fate of wrestling will be on display at the SportAccord conference and IOC executive board meetings.
I don't expect a major shift from what has been done under Samaranch and me
About 1,500 delegates are expected for the conference, which opens today and will feature an appearance later in the week by Russian President Vladimir Putin. His presence will underscore Russia's commitment to its first Winter Games, which will take place in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in less than nine months.
The centrepiece of the meetings will be tomorrow's decision by the IOC board on which sport or sports to recommend for inclusion in the 2020 Olympics. Three months after it was surprisingly removed from the list of core sports, wrestling will have a chance to climb back into contention for a spot in 2020.
Also competing for the single opening are seven other sports: a combined baseball-softball bid, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, wakeboarding and wushu.
The sports will make closed-door presentations to the IOC board, which will then decide on recommendations to submit to the IOC general assembly for a final decision in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in September.