There seems to be an alignment of the planets which is occasioning spot fires all over the place.

The International Weightlifting Federation has had three presidents in the last week - and that does not include increasingly-disgraced Tamas Ajan who started 2020 in the chair.

First to go was American Ursula Papandrea. She had been asked to take over as interim president when the revelations about Ajan's behaviour became so extensive that even his mates asked him to stand down.

When Ajan eventually resigned in April, Papandrea got the gig more permanently - or so it seemed.

This week the IWF executive board appears to have convened a meeting not only without her but taking the opportunity to remove her as well. She was replaced by Intarat Yodbangtoey, whose Thai federation was banned from competing at the Tokyo Olympics for doping infringements.

Not that Thailand is alone - nearly half the members of the IWF board hail from countries under partial or full bans.

All that appears to have been a bridge too far for some so Yodbangtoey was also out - having lasted around 48 hours in the presidential seat.

The chalice has been passed to Brit Mike Irani who may yet have the chance to pass it on before the year is out as an extraordinary congress of the IWF is being petitioned and likely to succeed.

His tenure didn't start well, when Italian anti-corruption warrior Antonio Urso immediately resigned his place on the executive board.

Who might come out of a full vote of nations as the new king or queen is a mystery.

That is certainly the case if the international sailing federation is any indicator.

It is in election mode - although it has been a little unclear who can even vote let alone might win.

Despite being assumed by many to be a sport of the wealthy - World Sailing, as the governing body is now known, is beset by financial problems. Against that background the incumbent president Kim Andersen, of Denmark, is being challenged by three would-be usurpers of his throne.

The election, which also involves candidates from Spain, Uruguay and China, will take most of this month - as it is to be undertaken both exhaustively and virtually. The first hurdle was to decide which countries can vote as many were deemed to be in bad standing.

Just before the eligibility close-off the mighty sailing nations of Armenia and Vanuatu got the all-clear but many others remain vote-less.

To add fuel to the fire, Andersen has filed an ethics complaint against the International Olympic Committee's vice-president Ng Ser Miang alleging he is trying to oust him by garnering support for one of the challengers.

But at least World Sailing are having their elections. Half a dozen other Olympic summer sports have deferred theirs until 2021.

But it's not just the summer sports. The International Ski Federation (FIS), is seemingly also keen to get in on the act.

After nearly a century of stability provided by just four men at the helm, including two Swiss leaders for the entire period since 1951, there is no seamless transition to the next era.

The FIS recently parted company with its general secretary of nearly 20 years, Sarah Lewis, citing a "complete loss of confidence". The Brit had her eyes on the presidency and was intending to step down from her paid role. Yet another Swiss and two Swedes - one of them apparently nominated by Britain, are jousting for the top job.

Nothing is quite like it used to be - although in some international federations where power used to rest on the shoulders of royal families and aristocrats, the doors are opening for oligarchs whose lust for power is hard to resist when they cough up cash sports have never dreamed of.

Alisher Usmanov is the generous Russian president of the International Fencing Federation, first elected in 2008. Reports suggest he has stumped up more than $25 million to keep the federation's finances healthy.

And let's not forget AIBA, the world's boxing federation, which was completely relieved of its planning and control responsibilities for the Tokyo Games by the IOC.