The four were unanimously endorsed by the IOC's ruling executive board during its meeting in Beijing last week following a recommendation by Rogge.

 

They are HRH Princess Haya bint Al-Hussein, from the United Arab Emirates; Patrick Bauman, from Switzerland;  Andrés Botero, from Colombia; and Rita Subowo, from Indonesia.

 

The full IOC membership will vote on their election during the annual session in Guatemala City in July but that is expected to be a formality.

 

Rogge said: "These are four highly competent individuals who would undoubtedly make an excellent contribution to the IOC and its work around the world.

 

"The fact that half of the nominees are women, as was the case with the nominations made in 2006, reflects the IOC’s desire to lead by example as regards our policy of increasing the number of women in sports organisations.”

 

Profiles of the new candidates

 

HRH Princess Haya bint Al-Hussein
President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), she became the first female athlete to represent Jordan in the equestrian discipline of show jumping at the age of 13, and competed at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. She is currently a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and the IOC Commission for Culture and Olympic Education.

 

Patrick Baumann
Secretary general of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), he started basketball first as a player and then continued as a referee. He has been working for FIBA for 11 years now. He attended the Games of the last three Olympiads in his FIBA capacity and was a member of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the 2008 Olympic Games.

 

Andrés Botero
President of the Columbian Olympic Committee, he has won several national and international titles in waterskiing. At the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich he participated in water skiing as an official demonstration sport. For 10 years he has been President of the International Water Skiing Federation. In addition, he has been President of the Association of the IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF).

 

Rita Subowo
President of the Indonesian Olympic Committee, she was the first woman in her country to be elected to this position. For over a decade she has actively been involved in the sport of volleyball and developed and promoted the sport in Indonesia as well as in Asia. She is executive vice-president of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and vice-president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).