By Harry Peart BBC sports correspondent in Mexico City

A meeting of the International Olympic Committee in Mexico has ended with a short stay of execution for three sports threatened with expulsion from future games.

The future of baseball, softball and modern pentathlon will be reviewed after the Athens Olympics in 2004.

IOC president Jacques Rogge had wanted a quick decision

An IOC report had recommended that the three sports should be removed from the Beijing Olympics in 2008, but a decision was delayed after dissent by the members.

Baseball, softball and modern pentathlon now have less than two years to convince the IOC that they are worthy of a place in the Olympic programme and they could still be cast aside for the Beijing Games.

The IOC president, Jacques Rogge, has been pressing for an early decision and even suggested that the issue should be taken by senior officials of the executive board.

He shelved that idea but pressed on with a vote of all the members.

Overwhelming opposition

Almost 40 spoke, and all rejected any immediate expulsion as recommended by the report, which some regarded as flawed, saying it had been produced without proper criteria or consultation.

A new motion to defer the decision was greeted by almost unanimous approval, but there is still a great deal of disquiet among the members.

Officials of the three sports expressed concern that the period of uncertainty would adversely affect their athletes and sponsors.

Members agreed that Mr Rogge's intention of having a periodic review of the sports programme every four years was justified, but many feel it should apply to all the 28 sports and not just baseball, softball and modern pentathlon.

With several other events recommended by the IOC report under threat when senior officials meet early next year, the issue will remain a major problem for Mr Rogge.