<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 4, 2003, 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 19th day of March 2003.


                                                /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 4, 2003, 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 20th day of March 2003.


                                              /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 4, 2003, 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 19th day of March 2003.


                                               /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 4, 2003, 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 19th day of March 2003.


                                           /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 4, 2003, 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 19th day of March 2003.


                                          /s/   Benjamin Russell
                                          ---------------------------------
                                                Benjamin Russell
                                                    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 4, 2003, 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 21st day of March 2003.


                                                 /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 4, 2003, 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 24th day of March 2003.


                                                 /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 4, 2003, 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 20th day of March 2003.


                                            /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 4, 2003, 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 19th day of March 2003.


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