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Race for the Next IOC President Begins

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The quest for the next president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is heating up, with a diverse group of candidates emerging in the lead-up to the election scheduled for March. Among the contenders are two former Olympic champions, a Middle Eastern prince, and the son of a former IOC president. Prominent figures from the world of sports governance are also in the mix.

The IOC recently unveiled a list of seven individuals who have declared their intention to succeed Thomas Bach, the current president who has reached his term limit after 12 years in office. The list includes notable names such as Kirsty Coventry, an IOC executive board member from Zimbabwe, who is the only female candidate in a leadership contest that has seen only male presidents since the organization’s founding 130 years ago.

In addition to Coventry, Sebastian Coe, a decorated athlete with multiple gold medals in running, is also in the race. Other candidates include Prince Feisal al Hussein of Jordan, who serves on the IOC board, and Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., one of the four vice presidents of the IOC and the son of former president Juan Antonio Samaranch, who held the position for 21 years until 2001.

The field also features David Lappartient, head of cycling’s governing body, Morinari Watanabe, who leads gymnastics, and Johan Eliasch, president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. Coe currently serves as president of World Athletics.

All seven candidates successfully submitted their letters of intent by the deadline on Sunday. A formal list of candidates is expected to be confirmed in January, just ahead of the election meeting scheduled to take place from March 18-21 in Greece, close to the historic site of Ancient Olympia.

Only members of the IOC are permitted to run for the presidency, with votes cast by the organization’s 111-member assembly. The IOC itself is known for being one of the most exclusive organizations in global sports, comprising a membership that includes European and Middle Eastern nobility, leaders from international sports federations, current and former Olympians, politicians, diplomats, and influential industrialists, some of whom are billionaires, such as Eliasch.

The upcoming election is poised to be a significant event, given the legacy of the IOC and its influence on the international sports community.

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abcnews.go.com