SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Seven candidates will compete for the two general open seats on the International Olympic Committee's ruling executive board.

 The names announced by Monday's deadline were Vitaly Smirnov of Russia, Franco Carraro of Italy, Lambis Nikolaou of Greece, Sam Ramsamy of South Africa, Patrick Hickey of Ireland, Gunilla Lindberg of Sweden and Guy Drut of France.

 Lindberg, head of Sweden's national Olympic committee, is considered likely to win one of the seats in Wednesday's election. The IOC is eager to put another woman on the board to join Anita DeFrantz of the United States.

 An additional four seats on the board, reserved for specific constituencies, also are to be filled as the executive expands from 11 to 15 members.

 Switzerland's Denis Oswald, head of the international rowing federation, is the only candidate for the spot reserved for the summer sports bodies, while Mexico's Mario Vazquez Rana is the sole candidate of the national Olympic committees.

 Italy's Ottavio Cinquanta, president of the international skating union, has put his name forward as the candidate of the winter sports federations. But that still has to be confirmed at a Sept. 22 meeting of the winter sports association.

 A spot on the board also has been reserved for an active athlete. That member will be decided by a Sept. 30 vote among athletes.

 Meanwhile, Germany's Thomas Bach and Japan's Chiharu Igaya will vie for the seat of IOC vice president being vacated by Canada's Dick Pound.