Battle for Top IOC Post Enters Last Leg

After presenting case on Jan 30, candidates to start lobbying before election on March 20

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BERLIN - Only a few people around the world know the name Thomas Bach and even fewer can rattle off those of the seven candidates out to replace him in March after 12 years as president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Yet, despite that low profile, there is no bigger or more influential job in sport, and the German's successor will wield extraordinary political and financial clout across every country in the world.

When the IOC's 100-plus members, who include billionaires, global captains of industry, federation chiefs and royalty, go to the ballot in Greece on March 20, they will be effectively deciding on the direction much of the world of sport will take for the next eight years.

World Athletics chief and two-time Olympic 1,500 metres champion Sebastian Coe is the biggest name of the seven candidates.

Standing against him are Zimbabwe's Sports Minister and former Olympic swimmer Kirsty Coventry (the sole female candidate), the late former IOC president's son Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr and international cycling chief David Lappartient.

Completing the line-up are Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan, international gymnastics federation head Morinari Watanabe and Olympic newcomer and multimillionaire Johan Eliasch.

After presenting their case to replace 71-year-old Bach to the membership in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Jan 30, they have a final two-month push of behind-the-scenes lobbying.