The International Olympic Committee has recommended the expulsion of South Korean member Kim Un-yong in connection with corruption charges in South Korea.
The IOC Executive Board said that Kim should be kicked out of the Olympic movement for unethical conduct. The board acted on recommendations of the IOC ethical commission, which met last week to consider the case.
The matter now goes to the IOC general assembly, which is scheduled to meet in Singapore in July. A two-thirds vote in the general assembly is needed to expel Kim.
The 73-year-old Kim is an IOC vice president but has been suspended since last year after his arrest on embezzlement and bribery charges in South Korea.
He was convicted of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the World Taekwondo Federation, the World Taekwondo Headquarters and other sports organizations he controlled.
He also bilked donations from the Samsung Electronics Company and gave them to two sports organizations of which he was the head. One of the most powerful figures in international sports, Kim was largely responsible for Seoul's hosting the 1988 Olympics. He was also instrumental in getting taekwondo admitted as a medal sport in 2000.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP