"Olympic capacity" the priority for Ricci Bitti after relinquishing ITF post

Francesco Ricci Bitti has aimed to prioritise the Olympics after standing down from his ITF post ©ITF

Italy's veteran sports administrator Francesco Ricci Bitti has vowed to prioritise his commitments in the Olympic Movement after he ends his 16-year tenure as President of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) next month.

United States' David Haggerty, India's Anil Khanna, Spain's Juan Margets and Switzerland's Rene Stambach are the four candidates to replace the 73-year-old, with a decision due to be made at the ITF’s Annual General Meeting in the Chilean capital Santiago on September 25.

Ricci Bitti has pledged to help his successor with a smooth transition into office "in any way he can" but has made it clear that he believes his sporting future lies more in the world of the Olympics than his "first love" of tennis.

"I am President of the ASOIF; the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, and on the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Coordination Commissions, the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) Executive Board, as well as serving as the chairman of the WADA Finance Committee and in other roles with the IOC Agenda 2020 implementation, thanks to the confidence that IOC (International Olympic Committee) President Thomas Bach has shown in me," he said in an article published in ITFWorld magazine.

"I am looking forward to some new challenges, particularly in my Olympic capacity."

Francesco Ricci Bitti, pictured speaking at April's ASOIF General Assembly in Sochi, is due to complete his first term as ASOIF President at the end of next year ©ASOIF

It seems clear that Ricci Bitti will seek to extend his ASOIF Presidency when his four-year term in office expires at the end of next year.

Under ASOIF statutes, he would remain eligible to stand, despite not leading an International Federation, insidethegames has been told, so long as he remains "active" within the ITF Council.

Speaking during the IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur last month, Ricci Bitti claimed he was yet to make a decision as to a second term.

As well as the roles he mentioned, Ricci Bitti has also been appointed President of the SportAccord Convention to oversee the transition of the body following the resignation of SportAccord and SportAccord Convention President Marius Vizer in May following two months of public conflict with Bach and the IOC.

It is not yet clear whether this will prove a long-term or a temporary role.

Next year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will be another short-term priority, with the Italian having been one of the foremost critics of preparations for the Games last spring.

He now believes that "overall, things are going well" ahead of the Olympic tennis tournament, praising the close proximity of the Athletes' Village and predicting a successful test event in December.

Francesco Ricci Bitti looked back on his 16-year reign as President of the International Tennis Federation in an interview with the world governing body's magazine ©ITTF

Ricci Bitti claimed the growth of Olympic tennis was one of his key achievements during his five-term ITF tenure, along with improved administration, the "outstanding" Davis Cup and Fed Cup, the growth of the junior game, wheelchair tennis and beach tennis.

"When I took over in 1999, there were still many people, inside the sport and out, who said tennis didn't belong in the Olympics," he told ITFWorld.

"We expected that it would take a long time to change that view but, certainly since Beijing [2008], we have seen a real change in how the players, the media and the fans regard Olympic tennis.

"Tennis is a very respected sport within the Olympic Movement and this is something I am proud of.

"I was fortunate enough to be the first ITF President to be elected as a member of the IOC and that gave me access to help sell the concept that, while the Olympics is important to tennis, the same is also true, tennis is very important to the Olympics."

To read the full interview with Ricci Bitti click here.