Richard Moore's Almanac: Reedie resumes IOC election bid

Published on Sunday 28 September 2008 23:57

HAVING missed out on election to the executive board of the IOC in August, Sir Craig Reedie has hinted that he is likely to stand again next year, with his chances of success a second time round perhaps boosted by his recent appointment to the 2016 evaluation commission.

The 67-year-old Scot, who as British Olympic Association chairman played a huge role in London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympics, has been appointed to the committee that will assess the bids by Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo for the 2016 Games.

Reedie, who served on the evaluation commission that led to Beijing being awarded the recent Games, is one of six IOC members on the eight-person commission, which from April next year will visit and assess each bid city.

In Beijing, Reedie was defeated in his bid to join the fifteen-strong IOC board by Richard Carrion, the Puerto Rican who heads the finance commission, and Nawal El Moutawakel, the 1984 Olympic hurdles champion from Morocco.

El Moutawakel was effectively given a walkover, with Reedie and Carrion agreeing to a straight vote for one seat, to ensure female representation at the IOC's top table.

But Reedie could also have a second chance to gain a seat on the executive board at the IOC Congress in Copenhagen next September. "I haven't made my mind up yet," says Reedie, "but there could be an opportunity. It was always going to be a struggle to be elected (in August]. There had to be a woman, and I'm looking forward to working with Nawal El Moutawakel on the evaluation commission. Richard Carrion was the sitting tenant, so to speak, and there is a general assumption that you do eight years."

Reedie says he knows who is likely to stand down next year. He won't endorse the view that the IOC might consider it desirable to have British representation on the board ahead of the London Games, though this would seem a reasonable assumption. Significantly, Zaiging Yu of China was elected to the executive board in 2004, and promoted to vice president in Beijing.

"There was a serious opportunity (to be elected] in Beijing, and I had to try," says Reedie. "The opportunity might come up again, but my priority next year is the evaluation commission."

Beijing, he recognises, will be a tough act to follow. "They delivered everything they promised, and all credit to them for pulling it off with great style. It was the greatest celebration of national pride in the history of the biggest country in the world. I feel that the IOC has been totally vindicated in its decision to award the Games to China. It opened that country to intense scrutiny in a way that nothing else would – whether that has any long-term benefits for China we'll have to wait and see."

Mountains conquered

THEY say it takes eight years to produce a top class athlete, and this seems to be borne out by the recent domination of Scots of the British mountain biking scene. Eight years ago a massive programme of investment in mountain biking facilities began in the aftermath of the foot and mouth crisis.

Led by Forestry Commission Scotland it brought the creation of world class centres throughout southern Scotland – the Seven Stanes – and then in the north, in Fort William, Laggan, the Black Isle, Golspie and elsewhere. And now come the fruits of the facilities: a golden generation.

Scots have this year won the national points series in cross-country, through Gareth Montgomerie, and downhill, with Ben Cathro first and Joe Barnes second.

In the youth cross-country series, Scots were first and third, and in the downhill youth – get this – our young riders, supported by the Winning Scotland Foundation, filled the top four places.

Kenta Gallagher is the top cross-country youth, and an outstanding prospect. However, the Inverness rider's most notable achievement possibly wasn't winning the national series, but placing fifth in the French Cup. What was impressive about this was that he started the race in 150th place on the grid, and therefore passed 145 riders en route to fifth.

Such domination strengthens Scotland's case to be recognised as British Cycling's mountain biking 'centre of excellence' – something that Mike Whittingham, executive director of the Scottish Institute of Sport, would like to be made official.