Kim Un-Yong's momentum to replace Juan Antonio Samaranch as the president of the International Olympic Committee was gathering pace here last night, a development which could wreck Beijing's bid to host the 2008 games. Backers of the 70-year-old South Korean have been canvassing support on his behalf while also urging IOC members to vote for Toronto ahead of Beijing when a decision on the 2008 hosts is taken tomorrow.
Kim knows that if Beijing gets the games the IOC are unlikely to elect an Asian president when they meet to pick Samaranch's successor three days later. He is similarly aware that the choice of Toronto would almost certainly prevent the Canadian Dick Pound being installed as president. Many are worried, as Kim received a severe warning following an IOC investigation of the million-dollar bribery scheme surrounding Salt Lake's winning bid for the 2002 Winter Games, a punishment just short of the expulsions and resignations that removed ten IOC members.
John Hancock, one of the IOC's biggest sponsors, has questioned whether the election of Kim ahead of the Belgian favourite Jacques Rogge, would undermine the reforms adopted in the wake of the scandal. "The presidential decision is perhaps bigger than Beijing," said Dick Pound. "Whether it's this time or not, sooner or later it will be Beijing. "As Samaranch is wont to say, the golden age in sport is over. The choice is, do we go on to the Platinum Age, or back to the Stone Age? Deciding on who the new president is will very much dictate which way it goes." Samaranch has made it known he does not back Kim's candidature, yet he Kim appears to have solid support, especially among the Asian members, and he is also beginning to find favour around the world. "I'm not sure Kim loses ground with the rest of the world just because he's been beaten up in the US," said one IOC member. "It may even work in his favour." Beijing suffered another setback yesterday when the Russian Meanwhile, police arrested nine people in Moscow following a peaceful protest by Tibetans opposed to their bid. The nine were taken into "preventive custody" after they had attempted to unfurl an anti-Chinese banner. Tu Mingde, secretary general of Beijing's bid said they were "concerned" at suggestions that China's human rights record should rule out the city. "If Beijing gets the bid, the Olympic Games will be a catalyst in the process of opening up, while promoting our economic and social progress and the human rights cause," Tu Mingde, secretary general of Beijing's bid he said.
"We are very concerned about this, while already making a lot of progress on these lines, if Beijing wins the rights to host the games we will do more," he said. Tu's comments came amid a flurry of accusations in the international press that Beijing's bid was unworthy due to China's poor human rights record. The organisers of next year's Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City say they plan to test all competitors for banned drugs before the start of the Games.
