Hamburg  - The fate of the four cities bidding to host the 2016 Olympic Games lies in the hand of an exclusive club, whose membership is not allowed to exceed 115.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) members themselves elect new members in terms of Rule 16 of the Olympic Charter and the members serve terms of eight years, but may be re-elected for several terms.

IOC Media Relations Manager Emmanuelle Moreau told German Press Agency dpa that people are elected as individual members or as active athletes.

Membership can also be chosen from individuals with a function within a country's Olympic Committee (NOC), world or continental association of NOCs or who have a function within an International Federation (IF) or an association of IFs.

The majority of members, but not exceeding 70, are members who are not linked to any specific function or office and only one member per country is eligible.

In part because of the bribery scandal surrounding Salt Lake's bid for the Winter Games, the composition of the IOC has evolved in the past 10 years, to now include more active athletes (the number of whom may not exceed 15).

The number of persons elected onto the IOC by virtue of holding an executive or senior leadership in an IF and those elected because they hold a senior leadership within NOCs, or world or continental associations of NOCs, is also restricted to 15 in each category.

Currently there are 106 members, as well 22 honorary members and one honour member.

Amongst the membership is Prince Albert II of Monaco, FIFA president Joseph Blatter, pole vault Olympic champion Sergey Bubka and alpine skiing great Pernilla Wiberg. (dpa)