This eagerly awaited ranking list, called the Golden 25, concentrates on those who will make the biggest impact on Olympic affairs in the coming year – and is prepared by the US based ‘Around The Rings’ insider newsletter, now in its 14th year of reporting on Olympic matters.
Pat Hickey gains his new, elevated ranking as a result of his recent re-election for another four year term as President of the European Olympic Committees, probably the most influential of the five continental associations for national Olympic committees. His work on the inclusion of sport in the Lisbon Treaty was also a major factor.
Already the highest ranked Irish administrator in the world of sport, Mr. Hickey moves into the top ten alongside Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee, who was No. 1 on last years list as a result of his extensive work on the initial preparations for the London Games.
‘Around The Rings’ have selected FIFA’s Sepp Blatter as the most influential person for 2010, with the upcoming World Cup in South Africa in mind. IOC President Jacques Rogge is in No. 2 spot. Last year’s No. 2 of the Golden 25, President Barack Obama loses his ranking entirely due to the failure of the Chicago bid for the 2016 Olympics.
The assembly of the Golden 25 list is the product of a special matrix created by ‘Around The Rings’ that includes names, events and issues pertinent to the Olympic Movement.
