Only one is a "member whose candidature is linked to a function within an International Federation." The election of Lord Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics, will not come as a surprise.

He is set to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious countryman Lord David Burghley, Marquess of Exeter as both the leader of World Athletics and IOC member.

Their lives have been punctuated by remarkable coincidences. Both were popular Olympic champions, both became urbane administrators who have also led successful Olympic Organising Committees.

David George Brownlow Cecil, later known as Lord Burghley and then Marquess of Exeter, had been born in 1905, the same year that the British Olympic Association was founded.

He forged a reputation as a talented athlete at Magdalene College Cambridge and, aged only 19, he was chosen for the 110 metres hurdles at the 1924 Olympics in Paris.

Although he did not advance from the heats, his performances improved over the next few years and in 1927 he set a world record over 440 yards hurdles. It was said that he placed matchboxes on the hurdles during training. These were not to be dislodged as he ran.

The scene was re-created in the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire. Nigel Havers played Lord Lindsay, a character based on Burghley. The movie script writers exchanged matchboxes for champagne glasses.

At the Amsterdam 1928 Olympics, Burghley posted an Olympic record 53.4 to win the 400m hurdles. His victory was a popular one and he received a hero’s welcome on his return.

He is reported to have said: "What a reception. I would rather have faced a hundred champions than a crowd like that."

It was over half a century later that Coe came storming down the home straight to win the Olympic 1500m title at Moscow 1980. That afternoon, he received his gold medal from the Marquess of Exeter to set the seal on a remarkable week. Coe had been favourite for the 800m, but was beaten by his great rival and compatriot Steve Ovett. Everything came right for him a few days later.

Although illness hampered his career, Coe defended his title in 1984 when the Games were held in Los Angeles, the first man to win back-to-back Olympic 1500m titles. He was also chosen as British flag-bearer for the Closing Ceremony.

52 years before, in that very same stadium, Burghley had also carried the Union Flag but in the Opening Ceremony.

Burghley won a silver medal to go with his gold from Amsterdam in the relay. Los Angeles was to prove his farewell appearance on an Olympic track just as it would for Coe.

In 1981, a group of athletes were invited to make presentations at the IOC Congress in Baden-Baden. This group was the forerunner of what would become the Athletes' Commission. Among those who spoke on behalf of the group were Thomas Bach and Coe, who made an immediate impression.

On doping, Coe said: "We consider this to be the most shameful abuse of the Olympic idea. We call for the life ban of offending athletes. We call for the life ban of coaches and the so-called doctors who administer this evil."

Coe had earlier defied British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to take part in Moscow 1980 so perhaps it was no surprise that he gave voice to the athletes’ statement against political interference.

"Only independence ensures valid contribution. This is consistent with IOC philosophy. As a group we have rejected every attempt at political pressure in both the choice of speakers and subjects."

Listening to Coe in Baden-Baden was the Marquess of Exeter, who was by then one of the longest serving IOC members. He had been co-opted in 1933, barely a year after his own active career as an athlete had come to an end. He had even challenged for the IOC leadership against the American Avery Brundage but was unsuccessful on each occasion.

In Baden-Baden, Exeter was made honorary life vice-president "in recognition of the monumental work he has accomplished and the invaluable services he has rendered during his 48 years as a member of the IOC."

It proved his final appearance, for a few weeks later, he passed away aged 76.

Both Lord Coe and Lord Burghley were also linked by an unusual event held at Cambridge University. In 1927, the year before his Olympic triumph, Lord Burghley had set the seal on his student days by taking part in the Great Court Run at Trinity College.

The newspaper reports of the time related how "Lord Burghley, the famous athletic blue, set the seal on his running career by making a sprint record at midnight. Lord Burghley started as the first chime of the clocks started and finished with about one and a half strokes of the second chime of twelve in hand.

"The sprint has only once before been achieved and that was when the chiming was slower than at present. Lord Burghley is prouder of this feat than of many of his track records."

More than 60 years later, Coe took up the very same challenge but at high noon. His opponent was 1983 world 1500m champion Steve Cram. Their race raised funds for the Great Ormond Street children’s hospital in London.

Coe ran in an old fashioned blue and white rugby jersey and knee length shorts, to invoke the spirit of the challenge and came home just ahead of Cram.

The result was announced by Norris McWhirter on behalf of the Guinness Book of Records: "The winner is Sebastian Newbold Coe with a time of 45 seconds and 52 hundreths."

He was said he was the first to complete the feat in the 61 years since Burghley’s run, though Trinity’s record books do not consider that Coe beat the chimes.

A parliamentary career later beckoned for Lord Coe as it had for Lord Burghley, who had taken his seat in the pre-war years.

It was immediately after the Aecond World War that Lord Burghley was confronted with the biggest sporting challenge. London was chosen to host the 1948 Olympics and he became chairman of the Organising Committee. Money was extremely tight but the 'Austerity Games' proved a great success. They opened on a scorching July day and Lord Burghley addressed the Wembley crowd.

"The hour has struck. A visionary dream has today become a glorious reality. At the end of the worldwide struggle in 1945, many institutions and associations were found to have withered and only the strongest had survived. The clarion call went forth to the athletes of the world. Here today, in this vast arena, are assembled 6,000 competitors. Here is the proof of the inherent strength and vitality of the Olympic Movement."

Two weeks later, on a sunlit evening, the Games came to an end, though Lord Burghley did return to Wembley in 1950 to unveil plaques commemorating the winners. He had not been scheduled to do so but deputised for Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin who was ill.

"I am here today masquerading," he joked and then told those assembled: "This was Wembley’s finest hour. 

"Many great occasions of sport, and other occasions, have been witnessed here on this ground, but, none, I believe, had the same deep and significant importance as the two and a half weeks during the Olympic Games."

The Olympics were not staged in Britain again until 2012. Lord Coe had taken charge of the bidding committee and proved an impressive leader when the decisive presentation was made to the IOC Session in Singapore.

He then became chairman of the Organising Committee and was a "lucky general", but for one day in Athens when the Olympic Flame was handed to London in pouring rain.

The sun shone on London 2012. At the Olympic Closing Ceremony he said: "We lit the Flame and we lit up the world. The spirit of these Olympics will inspire a generation. When our time came, Britain, we did it right."

In the wake of 2012, Coe was elected British Olympic Association chairman, role that Lord Burghley had first taken on in 1936.

Lord Burghley had also led World Athletics, then known as the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF). His appointment came in 1946.

"The appointment is a singular honour for Great Britain and the reins had been entrusted at a critical time for amateur athletics."

It was with Lord Burghley’s encouragement that the Soviet Union made their first appearance in international athletics and then an Olympic bow in 1952.

He remained IAAF President for 30 years and was an IOC member for an astonishing 48 years.

IOC President Thomas Bach expects "the IOC Session and the entire Olympic Movement would benefit from an extremely valuable range of skills and expertise" from the new members.

Although Lord Coe will surely make a considerable contribution, current regulations stipulate that he will have to stand down when he reaches the age of 70, in just over six years time.