ATLANTA, GEORGIA (January 2, 2009) The chairman of London 2012 and the U.S. president-elect are expected to have the greatest impact on the Olympic Movement in 2009 according to the 13th edition of Around the Rings' Golden 25.Sebastian Coe, number one on the list, will have increased visibility as he guides preparations for the next Summer Olympics through a financial storm. Meanwhile, there is speculation over what impact President-elect and native Chicagoan Barack Obama will have on the race for 2016.
"Coe has carefully led LOCOG since 2005," remarked Editor Ed Hula. "Daily progress can be seen at venues in the Olympic Park. Then there's the behind the scenes work organizing the sports spectacular, which seems to be advancing. If we can say the same in one year, without asides about cutbacks, overruns, political disputes or engineering snafus, Coe and his team at Canary Wharf will deserve some hefty kudos from the Olympic Movement, even though the journey to 2012 would still be far from over -- and perhaps facing further perils."
Then there is Barack Obama. The Golden 25 has included heads of state before, but never a U.S. president. Some IOC members say they don't think Obama will spell the difference for the Chicago bid, but that logic contradicts the vote for London in 2005 and Sochi in 2007. In 2005, Tony Blair's personal lobbying for London is credited with giving the bid the boost it needed, while Vladimir Putin is said to have made certain Sochi's win for 2014 last year.
"Obama rises to the presidency as a worldwide celebrity, coming at a time when heads of state are now almost expected to campaign in person at the IOC Session," Hula stated. "For some IOC members, Obama's politics may be regarded much more kindly than those of predecessor George W. Bush. That could make them much more open to being swayed by the new U.S. president.
"However, Obama still has to decide the level of support he'll deliver for the bid, how he will speak out. The U.S. Olympic Committee must work out a marketing agreement with the IOC that is perceived as fair by the rest of the world. Domestic and international issues must work in favor of the U.S. for the next 10 months. But if these pieces fall into place, Obama's influence could shape the Olympics for the next seven years."
Coe and Obama are joined on the Golden 25 by 14 IOC members as well as other government leaders, including London Mayor Boris Johnson and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak. While there are regulars on the list, some are just rising to prominence in the Olympic Movement.
The Around the Rings' Golden 25 is among the year's most closely-watched annual rankings. Unlike other end of the year reviews, the Golden 25 looks ahead, forecasting those individuals who will have the most influence in the $5 billion business of the Olympic Movement. The entire list is available at http://AroundTheRings.com/Golden25.aspx. The Golden 25 -- as well as Spheres of Influence, a look at other movers and shakers in world sport -- also will be featured in an online magazine, which can be downloaded at http://www.AroundTheRings.com/SpecialEditions/Golden25_2009.pdf.
