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Prince’s IOC bid all but certain

Published 17.08.09 13:24

If elected to the International Olympic Committee the crown prince will promote sports for kids Crown Prince Frederik is hoping to promote healthy living if elected to the International Olympic Committee when the next congress convenes in Copenhagen in October....

Crown Prince Frederik is hoping to promote healthy living if elected to the International Olympic Committee when the next congress convenes in Copenhagen in October.

The crown prince was selected as one of the six official candidates on Friday and joins representatives from St Lucia, Nigeria, Oman, Burundi and Sweden for the election. There are currently 107 IOC members and the committee can have up to 115 members so it is likely that all will be elected.
In an interview with B.T. newspaper, Crown Prince Frederik said he wants his involvement in the IOC to focus on encouraging a healthy lifestyle, especially among young people.

‘I hope I can use the IOC as a platform for motivating children and young people to take part in sport among other things. It gives a better quality of life and automatically triggers a healthy lifestyle,’ said the crown prince.

However, the process towards representing Denmark at the IOC has not been an easy one and the 41-year-old has been criticised for becoming politically involved. The Danish royal family has no political power and after the candidate process began in 2006, the crown prince vowed to avoid mixing sports and politics.

He has also undergone media training in advance of his potential appointment, saying he is aware that some believe he is an ineffectual public speaker.

‘You can’t be too small or too great to take criticism. I’ve taken it onboard and dealt with it. That’s why I see this as a positive thing,’ said the crown prince.

A Gallup opinion poll found that 56 percent of respondents backed the crown prince to become a member of the IOC.

Crown Prince Frederik is an avid sailor and sportsman and has undertaken many visits to competing Danish athletes abroad. He met his wife, Crown Princess Mary, while attending the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

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