Key Olympic reforms approved by the IOC

Key reforms approved by the full International Olympic Committee at its extraodinary session on Saturday and Sunday in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Key reforms approved by the full International Olympic Committee at its extraodinary session on Saturday and Sunday in Lausanne, Switzerland.

IOC STRUCTURE

IOC to have maximum of 115 members: including 15 active athletes; 15 presidents of international federations; 15 presidents of National Olympic Committees or continental associations, and 70 elected on individual basis.

Special seven-member selection committee, including at least one athlete, to screen prospective candidates and report to IOC executive board.

Introduction of term of office for members. Members have eight-year term, with unlimited possibility of reelection.

Members already in place before Dec. 11, 1999, are given automatic terms from now. Those members to be drawn by lot in three groups - first group to face re-election in 2007, second group in 2008 and third in 2009.

Active athletes must have competed in Olympic Games not more than four years before joining the IOC athletes' commission. They have maximum terms of eight years, which are not renewable.

Age limit of 70 for all new members. Current limit of 80 continues for members who are already in place.

Introduction of a term limit for the IOC president. Future presidents to be elected to an eight-year term, with the possibility of one additional four-year term.

Expansion of ruling executive board from 11 to 15 members.

DRUGS

Olympic oath for athletes to include statement on drug-free sport.

All Olympic athletes to hold "passport" listing their drug control records.

IOC to conduct out-of-competition tests before Olympics.

Sports that fail to apply anti-drug rules risk being barred from Olympics.

HOST CITY SELECTION

Introduction of minimum standards, forcing cities to meet certain criteria before being allowed to bid, thus avoiding unnecessary expense.

National Olympic committees to have full responsibility for the bids and actions of the bid committees.

IOC evaluation commission to visit bid cities and prepare report as a basis for members to make the final selection.

Visits by IOC members to bid cities are deemed "not necessary" and are banned. "It is also not necessary for representatives of candidate cities, or third parties acting on their behalf, to visit IOC members."

Full IOC continues to choose host city by secret ballot.

All candidates that meet minimum requirements and evaluation criteria to take part in final ballot. However, the IOC executive board may select finalists if any cities are not considered ready to host the Olympics.

FINANCES

Flow of IOC funds for each four-year period to be disclosed, by outlining their source and use. Schedules to be audited and approved by independent, external auditors.

Disclosure of funds allocated to national Olympic committees and international federations.

Bid cities to disclose their funding as part of their bid documentation.

ACCESS

IOC sessions to be open to media by live broadcast.