Newly elected I-O-C president Jacques Rogge was left with no time to savor his triumph as he faced a daunting start to his eight-year term of office.
Two of his defeated rivals, Kim Un-yong of South Korea and Dick Pound of Canada both cried foul and suggested their campaigns had been purposely undermined.
Kim claimed he had been fatally undermined by a letter issued by the I-O-C ethics commission Sunday asking him about newspaper reports suggesting he was offering illicit financial promises to members. Kim, who denied the allegations, was so furious he declined to attend the vote.
Pound, head of the I-O-C's highly successful marketing commission, accused outgoing president Juan Antonio Samaranch of secretly working for Rogge's election. Samaranch appeared to rebuke Pound during Sunday's I-O-C session over the Canadian's role as head of the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Pound has offered to resign all his posts within the I-O-C and Rogge will need to use all his diplomatic skills to keep both influential men on his side.