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Penpix of candidates to succeed Bach as IOC President / Photo: © AFP
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Penpix of candidates to succeed Bach as IOC President
The candidates to succeed Thomas Bach as president of the International Olympic Committee and become the most powerful figure in sport governance were unveiled on Monday.
Bach was first elected to an initial eight-year term in 2013, succeeding Belgian Jacques Rogge, and re-elected for four years in 2021.
The 70-year-old German announced shortly before the end of the Paris Olympics in August he would not seek a third term declaring: "New times are calling for new leaders."
AFP Sports profiles the contenders who will vie for election at the IOC session in Athens, March 18-21 next year:
Sebastian Coe (GBR)
Despite the rules laid down last Thursday which on age alone could be a barrier, Coe has shown the same single-minded determination he displayed in his legendary athletics career in declaring himself a runner -- the question is can he emerge, like he did twice in successive Olympics (1500m in 1980/84), a winner.
His golden touch has carried on into his administrative career.
He was a Conservative Party lawmaker for five years, ran both the successful bid for the 2012 London Olympics and hosting of them before taking over in 2015 as the head of World Athletics.
Coe, who turns 68 on September 29, reformed World Athletics after the troubled reign of his predecessor Lamine Diack, convicted for his involvement in a cover-up of Russian doping.
He has shown strong leadership in imposing a blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Paris Games due to the invasion of Ukraine -- a stark contrast to Bach and many federations allowing some to compete under a neutral banner.
Coe, like three of his rivals, would have to resign as federation head and put himself up for election at the session in Athens ahead of the vote on the presidency.
The problem for him is the GB quota of two is already filled -- Princess Anne and Hugh Robertson -- and he will be older even than the extended age of 74 come the end of an eight-year mandate.
David Lappartient (FRA)
The ambitious Frenchman has thrown his hat into the ring despite only being an IOC member for two years.
Despite that, the 51-year-old's CV is impressive.
He has seven successful years as president of the International Cycling Union and brought much needed calm after a period of infighting to the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) when he was elected in June 2023.
The centre-right lawmaker also produced results as using his political nous -- he was mayor of Brittany town Sarzeau for 13 years and is president of the Morbihan region -- and powers of persuasion, he secured the 2030 Winter Olympics for The Alps.
Despite his federation being financially healthy he refused to follow the path of Coe over awarding prize money to Olympic champions.
He said it ran counter to the values of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the Frenchman credited with founding the modern Olympics.
Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior (ESP)
The 64-year-old, son of the man who as IOC president from 1980-2001 transformed it into a commercial powerhouse, is a big player within the movement.
Samaranch Junior is a former perfume salesman and banker who is in his second stint as an IOC Vice-President. He is media savvy and an excellent communicator.
He has been on the coordinating committees for three Winter Olympics, serving as chair for the 2022 Beijing Games.
Kirsty Coventry (ZIM)
Coventry, who turned 41 on Monday, bids to become not only the first woman but also the first person from Africa to head the IOC.
She has an impressive Olympic record with seven swimming medals, including two golds with the then-Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe describing her as 'golden girl' in 2008.
She has forged a successful career in sports administration since hanging up her swimming cap in 2016.
She has been Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation in Zimbabwe since 2019.
On the IOC front -- of which she has been a member since 2013 -- she has chaired the IOC Athlete's Commission and served on the IOC Executive Board since 2018.
She heads the Coordination Commission for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.
Prince Faisal al-Hussein (JOR)
Younger brother of King Abdullah II, Prince Faisal bids to become the first Asian president of the IOC. He set up Generations For Peace, a non-profit peace building organisation using sporting programmes, in 2007.
Three years later the 60-year-old former military helicopter pilot was elected an IOC member, is a member of the Executive Board and has chaired a couple of committees.
Morinari Watanabe (JPN)
Gymnastics federation president, to which he owes his IOC membership and faces a similar challenge to that of Eliasch, Lappartient and Coe.
One difference with Coe is he is adamant there will be no prize money offered to Olympic gymnastic gold medal winners whilst he remains president of the federation, preferring to invest it in countries that lack equipment and other basic needs.
The 65-year-old will vie with Prince Faisal to capture the Asian vote -- he already broke the mould in being the first Asian president of the gymnastics federation.
He was on the executive board of the Tokyo Games organising committee and is on the coordination commission for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Johan Eliasch (SWE/GBR)
The Sweden-born multi-billionaire businessman and environmentalist is former CEO of the Head sporting goods company and was elected as international ski federation president in 2021.
The 62-year-old has only been an IOC member since July, but is evidently full of confidence for his chances of becoming the second Swede (Sigfrid Edstrom 1942-52) to be IOC president.
Z.Tomaszewski--GL
