being put off for another month.

The BOA held their annual general meeting on Wednesday, returning most of their key personnel, including president Austin Woods for a third term.

But the position of chairman of the Athletes Commission -- a key new post to be filled by an Olympic athlete of the past five years -- was not filled because the BOA decided to extend the nomination period until early January.

Sailors Peter Bromby and Jay Kempe and swimmer Jenny Smatt had been nominated and met with Woods and BOA technical chairman Mike Cherry twice this week in an attempt to reach a consensus choice to be ratified by the executive committee.

But acting on "a request from other athletes,'' Woods said the BOA opted to open the competition to athletes currently overseas who may be residing on the Island in the future.

"There was a concern put to us that there wasn't enough time to see if other athletes were interested,'' notably those attending US universities, said Woods. Those expressing late interest were also far behind Bromby, Kempe and Smatt in lobbying other athletes.

"We decided to let democracy reign,'' Woods said yesterday.

New forms will be now be mailed out to Olympians, allowing them to nominate or vote for the athlete of their choice. The winner is expected to be in place by the first executive meeting of the new term, early in January, and will be put in place 30 days later.

The chairman of the Athletes Commission is a liaison urged by the International Olympic Committee. The position is intended to allow athletes greater freedom to express needs and concerns to Olympic policy and decision-makers.

Bromby, Kempe and Smatt were all eager for the post and Woods hinted there was considerable "competition'' among them.

"To tell you the truth, the BOA never thought that this many people would be interested in the position,'' said Woods. "I suppose it's good in a sense (that they are taking it so seriously).'' Meanwhile, Woods will have pretty much his same staff for his final four-year term as president as he did for his second. The only change on the executive committee sees Jordy Walker come aboard as one of the four representatives, joining Philip Guishard, Cherry and Stan Douglas. Randy Benjamin returns as vice president, John Hoskins as secretary general and Joan Taplin as treasurer.