As bid strategists scurried around Durban's luxury hotel lobbies in pursuit of the 110 International Olympic Committee (IOC) members who constitute the electorate in this high-stakes contest, it emerged that at least six of them would not be coming to South Africa for various reasons.

These are: Guinea's Alpha Ibrahim Diallo, Saudi Arabia's Prince Nawaf Faisal Fahd Abdulaziz, the United States James Easton, Brazil's Joao Havelange, Egypt's General Mounir Sabet and India's Raja Randhir Singh.

In addition, at time of writing, there was still a question-mark over the presence of Samih Moudallal, the Syrian IOC member, whose country is in a state of political unrest at present.

In addition to these definite or possible absentees, six further members will not cast a vote because they come from the same country as one of the three bidding cities - Annecy, Munich and Pyeongchang.

These are: Thomas Bach and Claudia Bokel from Germany, Guy Drut and Jean-Claude Killy from France and Dae Sung Moon and Kun-Hee Lee from South Korea.

Two of these will be able to participate if there is a second round of voting, depending on which city polls the lowest score in the first round, triggering its elimination.

It is also thought a number of members including Jacques Rogge, the IOC President, from Belgium, Switzerland's Denis Oswald and, possibly, Britain's Princess Anne may abstain.

The list of absentions could grow even further after Cameroon's Issa Hayatou was taken to hospital. 

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