The 79-year-old Swiss, however, would have still been forced to lay down his mandate next year when he attains the age of 80, the maximum age for IOC membership, even if elected for another eight year term.
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“This was in line with the [situation of] other two potential candidates for re-election where the nomination commission also thought it not appropriate to be re-elected for another five months so it was not a situation affecting my Blatter alone”.
Bach thanked Blatter and other members leaving the IOC for their “great contribution” to the Olympic movement. But IOC President Thomas Bach said Blatter informed him by letter on July 23 that he would not stand again.
“He doesn’t deem it to be applicable to face for re-election for eight years figuring out that after seven months his time period would come to an finish”, Bach stated of Blatter.
The Federation Internationale de Football Association president, who usually attends the annual IOC meetings, has not been accused of wrongdoing, but made the decision to resign in the wake of the arrests in May of some of his close associates in Zurich by Swiss police on behalf of US authorities. Seven officials are facing corruption charges. The IOC confirmed that Blatter’s membership ended on Monday.
Three members of FIFA’s executive committee remain as members of the IOC: African confederation president Issa Hayatou (Cameroon), women’s representative Lydia Nsekera (Burundi) and Asian delegate Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah (Kuwait).
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The IOC received two new members – Nenad Lalovic of Serbia, the head of wrestling’s world governing body, and Diagna Ndiaye, the president of the national Olympic committee in Senegal.
