<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT (24)

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints John F. Ward and Christopher M. Champion, and each of them, his true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities indicated below his signature in which the undersigned serves as an
officer or director of Russell Corporation, to sign the Annual Report Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of Russell
Corporation for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2004 including all amendments
to such Annual Report, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

DATED this 16th day of March 2004.

                                                   /s/ Herschel M. Bloom
                                                   -----------------------------
                                                   Herschel M. Bloom
                                                   Director

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints John F. Ward and Christopher M. Champion, and each of them, his true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities indicated below his signature in which the undersigned serves as an
officer or director of Russell Corporation, to sign the Annual Report Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of Russell
Corporation for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2004, including all amendments
to such Annual Report, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

DATED this 16th day of March 2004.

                                                 /s/ Ronald G. Bruno
                                                 ------------------------
                                                 Ronald G. Bruno
                                                 Director

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints John F. Ward and Christopher M. Champion, and each of them, her true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for her and in her name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities indicated below her signature in which the undersigned serves as an
officer or director of Russell Corporation, to sign the Annual Report Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of Russell
Corporation for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2004, including all amendments
to such Annual Report, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as
she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

DATED this 16th day of March 2004.

                                                 /s/ Mary Jane Robertson
                                                 ----------------------------
                                                 Mary Jane Robertson
                                                 Director

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints John F. Ward and Christopher M. Champion, and each of them, her true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for her and in her name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities indicated below her signature in which the undersigned serves as an
officer or director of Russell Corporation, to sign the Annual Report Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of Russell
Corporation for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2004, including all amendments
to such Annual Report, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as
she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

DATED this 16th day of March 2004.

                                                 /s/ Margaret M. Porter
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                 Margaret M. Porter
                                                 Director

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints John F. Ward and Christopher M. Champion, and each of them, his true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities indicated below his signature in which the undersigned serves as an
officer or director of Russell Corporation, to sign the Annual Report Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of Russell
Corporation for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2004, including all amendments
to such Annual Report, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

DATED this 16th day of March 2004.

                                                         /s/ Tim Lewis
                                                         --------------------
                                                         Tim Lewis
                                                         Director

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints John F. Ward and Christopher M. Champion, and each of them, his true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities indicated below his signature in which the undersigned serves as an
officer or director of Russell Corporation, to sign the Annual Report Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of Russell
Corporation for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2004, including all amendments
to such Annual Report, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

DATED this 16th day of March 2004.

                                                 /s/ C.V. Nalley III
                                                 -------------------------
                                                 C.V. Nalley III
                                                 Director

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints John F. Ward and Christopher M. Champion, and each of them, his true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities indicated below his signature in which the undersigned serves as an
officer or director of Russell Corporation, to sign the Annual Report Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of Russell
Corporation for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2004, including all amendments
to such Annual Report, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

DATED this 16th day of March 2004.

                                                 /s/ John R. Thomas
                                                 ------------------------
                                                 John R. Thomas
                                                 Director

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints John F. Ward and Christopher M. Champion, and each of them, his true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities indicated below his signature in which the undersigned serves as an
officer or director of Russell Corporation, to sign the Annual Report Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of Russell
Corporation for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2004, including all amendments
to such Annual Report, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

DATED this 16th day of March 2004.

                                                 /s/ John A. White
                                                 -----------------------
                                                 John A. White
                                                 Director