IOC who's who

So just who are the International Olympic Committee? The IOC president is elected by IOC members for an initial term of eight years, renewable once for four more years. The president since 1980 is Juan Antonio Samaranch (Spain). He is the seventh president of the organisation and his term will end in September 2001.

There are currently 113 IOC members including Ireland's Pat Hickey and 20 honorary members who meet once a year at the IOC session. They are nominated by Olympic movement members and chosen by the IOC. The term of office for members is eight years, renewable every eight years. Members retire at the end of the calendar year in which they turn 70, unless they were elected before December 11th, 1999, in which case they retire at the age of 80.

The IOC is privately financed, deriving its revenues from the sale of television rights for broadcasting of the Olympic Games and from marketing programmes.

Presidents: Demetrius Vikelas (Greece) 1894-6; Baron Pierre de Coubertin (France) 1896-1925; Comte Henri de Baillet-Latour (Belgium) 1925-42; J. Sigrud Edstroem (Sweden) 1946-52; Avery Brundage (U.S.) 1952-72; Lord Killanin (Ireland) 1972-80; Juan Antonio Samaranch (Spain) 1980-present.