IOC: Four new IOC members will vote on the 2020 host city, IOC president and a whole host of issues.

On Wednesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected the appeal of Japanese hammer thrower Koji Murofushi. He was appealing the IOC decision that barred him from the race for the IOC Athletes' Commission over allegations he violated campaign rules. Mu Yen Chu of Chinese Taipei had his disqualification upheld by CAS in March.

With the ruling on Murofushi, the IOC can install the four winners, Danka Bartekova, James Tomkins, Kirsty Coventry and Tony Estanguet, as full IOC members.

“The IOC welcomes the CAS decision and looks forward to working with” the four, the IOC said in a statement.

The statement added that the group is “expected to be proposed by the IOC EB for election at the July 2013 Extraordinary Session in Lausanne following expiry of the 28-day appeal period.”

Murofushi was said to have distributed lollipops during his campaign. IOC rules limit campaign materials to a one-page campaign document. The Japanese Olympic Committee was the other party in Murofushi’s case.

A statement from CAS said the three-member panel would issue its “reasoned award” in a few days, but said “the main reason” for its decision “was due to the fact that that the JOC did not comply with the applicable rules and regulations.” CAS did not explain how.

The panel “stressed that Mr. Murofushi’s reputation and sportsmanship were intact” following the ruling.

JOC President Tsunekazu Takeda said in a statement: "While we regret the outcome, we fully acknowledge and respect the ruling by the CAS." He added the JOC would refrain from commenting on the decision until CAS fully explains its decision.

Ed Hula III
Around The Rings