The former Swiss cabinet minister, Adolf Ogi, is on the verge of joining the International Olympic Committee. The organisation's executive board has nominated Ogi to the IOC along with six others, including the outgoing president's son, Juan Antonio Samaranch junior.

Ogi's candidacy received support from Samaranch himself. But perhaps more importantly, the United Nations secretary-general, Kofi Annan, pushed for his nomination.

Ogi, 58, is already the UN's special ambassador for sport.

"Ogi at the IOC would be the right man in the right place," said Annan on Thursday. "He can build the much-needed bridge between the UN and the IOC and use synergies on both sides."

Ogi, who left the political scene last December after completing a one-year term as president, would be the sixth Swiss member of the IOC, along with Marc Hodler, Sepp Blatter (football), Gian-Franco Kasper (skiing), René Fasel (ice hockey), and Denis Oswald (rowing).

Switzerland will be the most represented country at the IOC if Ogi's nomination is accepted at the organisation's general assembly in Moscow next month.

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