Lord Coe Among Seven Candidates for IOC Presidency

World Athletics president Lord Sebastian Coe has been confirmed as one of seven candidates to succeed Thomas Bach as the next president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Bach, the current president, announced at the Paris Olympics last month that he will step down at the end of his second term in 2025.

Lord Coe, a two-time Olympic 1500m champion from Britain, faces competition from six other candidates: Spain’s Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., France’s David Lappartient, Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry, Japan’s Morinari Watanabe, Sweden’s Johan Eliasch, and Prince Feisal al Hussein of Jordan. Kirsty Coventry, a seven-time Olympic swimming medalist, is notably bidding to become the first woman and African to lead the IOC.

The new president will be elected during a session in ancient Olympia from March 18-21, 2025, and will officially take over in June. Before the election, each candidate will present their plans to the full IOC membership at a private meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, in January.

All IOC presidents to date have been men, with eight of the nine hailing from Europe and one from the United States. Coe, expressing his passion for Olympic sport on social media, stated, “Olympic sport is fundamental to my DNA.” He emphasized the need for greater investment in sports organizations and activities, particularly in light of the struggles faced during the Covid years.

Under current IOC regulations, Coe would not be able to serve the full eight-year term if elected, as he reaches the IOC age limit of 70 in 2026. However, he previously abolished similar age restrictions during his tenure as president of World Athletics.