SINGAPORE — The six candidates seeking to become the next International Olympic Committee (IOC) President will present their manifestos to fellow members at next week’s IOC Extraordinary Session in Lausanne, Switzerland.

But for Barbara Kendall, one of the world’s greatest windsurfers and New Zealand’s IOC member, their bids alone are not enough.

Speaking yesterday at the IOC Athlete Career Programme seminar at Marina Bay Sands (MBS), the sailboard gold medallist from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics suggested the next IOC President must have integrity above all else.

The 42-year-old Kiwi, a five-time Olympian, is possibly the first among IOC members to publicly comment on the IOC presidential election.

“I’m waiting to hear the presentations when we go to Switzerland next week,” said Kendall, who won silver and bronze at the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Games, respectively.

But the most important thing, she said, was integrity. “Just integrity. The IOC is built on values, and if there are any gaps in their values, then that will be exposed very quickly, so they have to be very, very true to their values.”

A successor to current IOC President Jacques Rogge will be elected on Sept 10 at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Germany’s Thomas Bach, an IOC Vice-President, is an early favourite, but Singapore’s Ng Ser Miang, also an IOC Vice-President, is regarded as a serious challenger.

The other candidates are Puerto Rican Richard Carrion, who heads the IOC’s Finance and Audit Committee, International Rowing Federation President Denis Oswald of Switzerland, International Boxing Association chief Wu Ching Kuo of Taiwan, and Ukrainian pole vault legend Sergey Bubka.

They, together with Rogge and retired Olympians like Kendall, are expected to attend the IOC Athletes Commission and Forum from today until Saturday at MBS.

Kendall was one of six speakers at yesterday’s IOC Athlete Career Programme seminar.

The other speakers were 2004 Athens Olympics fencing silver medallist Claudia Bokel of Germany, Adecco Senior Vice-President (IOC Athlete Career Programme) Patrick Glennon, Singapore Sports Institute Assistant Director Peggy Tng, retired national waterpolo player Yip Ren Kai and AXA Financial Service Director Tan Eng Seng, with Ng as the event’s guest-of-honour.

The day-long session saw them, as well as badminton player Pedro Yang and speed skater Yang Yang, interact with over 40 Singapore national athletes on planning for life after their competitive sports careers.

Launched in 2005, the IOC Athlete Career Programme has reached out to about 12,000 athletes.

“If you have the peace and mind that you have something after your sporting career, it makes it easier to train everyday,” said Bokel, 39, an IOC Executive Board member.

Former national sailor Xu Yuan Zhen, who competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, felt that more companies here needed to change their mindsets.

“Athletes spend a lot of their time training and competing, and tend to lose out when applying for a job,” he said.

“Employers generally tend to go for technical skills, and overlook the qualities and values an athlete brings.”