Olympics legend Sebastian Coe among 7 IOC members in race to succeed Thomas Bach as president

The athletics supremo is one of two Olympic champions in the race, which also includes three other sports chiefs, a prince and just one woman

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Former Olympic champion and current World Athletics president Sebastian Coe (right) is among the candidates to take over from Thomas Bach (left) as International Olympic Committee president. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:36pm, 16 Sep 2024Updated: 7:38pm, 16 Sep 2024

Two former Olympic champions are in the race to be the next IOC president. So is a prince of a Middle East kingdom and the son of a former president. The global leaders of cycling, gymnastics and skiing also are in play.

The International Olympic Committee published a list on Monday of seven would-be candidates who are set to run for election in March to succeed outgoing president Thomas Bach.

Just one woman, IOC executive board member Kirsty Coventry from Zimbabwe, entered the contest to lead an organisation that has had only male presidents in its 130-year history. Eight of those presidents were from Europe and one from the United States.

Coventry and Sebastian Coe are two-time gold medallists in swimming and running, respectively. Prince Feisal al Hussein of Jordan is also on the IOC board. Juan Antonio Samaranch Jnr is one of the four IOC vice-presidents, whose father was president for 21 years until 2001.

Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry is the only woman, and the other former Olympic champ, in the race. Photo: AP

David Lappartient is the president of cycling’s governing body, Morinari Watanabe leads gymnastics, and Johan Eliasch is president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. Coe is the president of track’s World Athletics.