Blackmun, a former acting chief executive of the USOC, has been chosen ahead of Chuck Wielgus, the chief executive of USA Swimming, and will be formally introduced by chairman Larry Probst at a press conference in Colorado Springs tomorrow.

The 52-year-old is currently a partner at law firm Holmes Robert & Owen (HRO), who have offices in Denver and Colorado Springs, where he specialises in sports and entertainment.

Blackmun will replace Stephanie Streeter, who has been the acting chief executive since Jim Scherr was controversially forced from his position in March.

He was formerly the USOC's general consul and acted as its temporary chief executive in 2000-2001.

The Stanford Law School graduate, who will be the tenth chief executive the USOC has had since 1988, will be paid an estimated $600,000 (£375,000) per year and is expected to start at the end of this month.

The decision to appoint Blackmun was praised by Anita DeFrantz, a Board member of the USOC who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

She told the Chicago Tribune: "I think it's a good decision.

"I am happy he is taking over the reins."

Streeter, who had a business background, ruled herself out of running for the position following the criticism that the USOC received following Chicago's humiliation in bidding for the 2016 Olympics.

The American candidate had started the race as the hot favourites but ended up being eliminated in the first round of voting at the IOC Session in Copenhagen on October 2 as Rio de Janeiro became the first South American city to be awarded the Games.

The USOC's poor relationship with the Olympic Movement, caused by rows over marketing revenues and plans to launch its own television channel, was cited as the main reason for Chicago's failure.

After leaving the USOC when he was overlooked for the chief executive's role which went instead to Lloyd Ward, Blackmun worked as the chief operating officer of the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).

While at AEG, Blackmun was responsible, among other things, for overseeing the company’s venue development activities, primarily stadiums, arenas and theatres.

He was based in California where he served on the Board of Directors of the California Chamber of Commerce and the National Sports Marketing Association's Los Angeles chapter.

Blackmun rejoined HRO in 2006, having previously worked from for 12 years from 1982, joining them upon graduating.

His appointment is set to be welcomed by US sports officials who were suspicious of Streeter, who they believed had failed to understand the Olympic Movement.

Scherr's two predecessors, Norm Blake and Ward, both were corporate leaders whom search firms brought to the USOC.

Both were forced out after brief tenures - nine months for Blake, 18 months for Ward.

Scherr, the former chief executive of USA Wrestling,  held the post for six years, during which he helped guide the organization out of management chaos and financial disarray to one of the most prosperous and stable periods in its history.

Few had wanted him to leave in March but Probst claimed at the time that the global economic crisis and changes it was bringing about "required a new and different set of skills."

The Olympic Movement in the US will be hoping that Blackmun brings some much-needed stability to the organisation and begins the process of building bridges with the rest of the world.

Doug Logan, the chief executive of USA Track & Field, told the Chicago Tribune: "He is certainly a savvy veteran of the Olympic Movement, and I think he is going to be very well received.

"He has a proven track record at soothing roiled waters, and that skill set will come in handy in the years to come.''

Harvey Schiller, the President of the International Baseball Federation who twice served as the chief executive of the USOC, said: "I think he’s very smart, I think he loves the Olympic Movement and I think he’ll do a great job."

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