Verbruggen has to be re-elected to IOC

Former UCI president Hein Verbruggen, who stepped down from his position to concentrate on his work within the International Olympic Committee (IOC), will have to be re-elected as an IOC member if he wants to take up chairmanship of the co-ordination commission for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing again. Oddly enough, Verbruggen lost the membership as it was dependent on his UCI position.

New IOC members will be elected by a majority vote at a session in Turin scheduled to take place from February 8-10, 2006. Up to 70 candidates have applied for the membership, but only four or five new members are likely to be elected.

Meanwhile, the 2008 Olympics co-ordination commission continues its work, with Australian Kevan Gosper leading its meetings. "Hein and I will work side by between now and February, as we normally do, and it will be business as usual," Gosper told Aroundtherings.com, and IOC president Jacques Rogge is said to be "more than comfortable" with the current situation.

If Verbruggen fails to get re-elected, he may still be a member of the commission, but not its chairman.