Jacques Rogge, a Belgian member of the International Olympic Committee who managed to stay above the fray in the Salt Lake bid scandal, joined the race to succeed Juan Antonio Samaranch Monday.
Rogge, 58, is considered a front-runner to take over the IOC presidency along with two undeclared candidates, Dick Pound of Canada and Un Yong Kim of South Korea. Anita DeFrantz of the United States and Pal Schmitt of Hungary are also running.
"I will be a candidate because I have a vision of the future of the IOC and a passion for sports," Rogge said at a new conference in Brussels. "I believe I also have all the necessary experience and skill and the right age."
Rogge headed the coordination commission for the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, Australia, praised by Samaranch as the best-ever. He has also served on the powerful IOC Executive Board since 1998.
His name never came up in the investigation into the bribery allegations surrounding Salt Lake City's bid for the 2002 Winter Games. Rogge already has strong support in Europe, the IOC's most powerful constituency.
Pound attracted worldwide attention as the head of the IOC's high-profile probe of its membership, with the assistance of Rogge and others. The probe lead to the resignation or removal of 10 members. Others, including Kim, were reprimanded by their peers.
Kim's son, John, faces felony charges in U.S. District Court in connection with a job arranged for him by Salt Lake bid officials. Kim is expected to announce his candidacy in Monaco on April 3. Pound is also expected to enter the race before the April 16 deadline.
IOC members will choose a new president at their next meeting in July, in Moscow. Although Samaranch has served as president since 1980, the maximum term is now 12 years under new rules adopted in the wake of the scandal.
Contributing: Associated Press