Members of IOC arrive in Greece for presidency election this week

The battle for the most powerful job in world sport is hurtling toward its climax as International Olympic Committee members descend on Greece this week to crown a new president. The candidates are international cycling chief David Lappartient, current IOC vice-president Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe, multiple Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry, who is Zimbabwe’s sports minister, and Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan. The winner of Thursday’s vote, held in a seaside resort near the southern Greek town of Pylos, will shape world sport along with international sports federations, national Olympic committees and the IOC’s top sponsors. TRANSGENDER ATHLETES The IOC currently allows transgender athletes to take part in the Games but it is under pressure to come up with a universal rule instead of relying on each separate sports federation’s decisions. Last week the IOC also announced a $3.0 billion extension of NBCUniversal’s U.S. Olympic media rights until 2036, but the departure of several sponsors last year has seen calls for changes to its marketing structure.