The 10th President of the International Olympic Committee will be elected in Greece this afternoon. They will succeed Thomas Bach, who has held the position over an initial eight-year team and then a four-year extension.
The winner will be chosen by a secret electronic ballot of an electorate with a mere 109 individuals.
Candidates need to achieve a majority of the votes cast to be elected. If no candidate is elected on the first ballot, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and a fresh vote is taken. Candidates are allowed to vote for themselves, but candidates from an individual’s country can only cast a ballot if and when their fellow nationality candidate has been elected.
Seven candidates are standing for election.
Lord Sebastian Coe (Britain) is a double Olympian and President of World Athletics. He is considered one of the favourites, but there is controversy around his stance on banning transgender athletes. He is the oldest of the candidates.
Kirsty Coventry (Zimbabwe) is another Double Olympian, the youngest of the candidates and bidding to become the first Female President. She is the Minister for Sport in Zimbabwe and on the IOC Executive Board.
Johan Eliasch (Britain) is the President of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation.
Prince Feisal Al Hussein (Jordan) is a member of the IOC Executive Board and Brother of the Jordanian ruler. A potential bid from Saudi Arabia to host the 2036 Games would place him in the spotlight.
David Lappartient (France) is the President of the UCI, World Cycling’s governing body.
Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr (Spain) has a familiar name, one he shares with his father, who served in the President’s role for 21 years from 1980. An existing IOC Vice President.
Morinari Watanabe (Japan) is President of the International Gymnastics Federation and has advocated for the Olympics to be held simultaneously on five continents.
The likely outcome
Each candidate pitched to the electorate for 15 minutes in January, with no media present and no questions taken from the floor. It will be down to who has had the most effective whispered conversations and who has been able to impress as the candidate most likely to protect the IOC’s reputation.
They will oversee the Los Angeles Games in 2028, which will take place in the run-up to a US Presidential Election to succeed Donald Trump. They will also oversee the selection of a host for the 2036 Games, potentially a choice between India and Saudi Arabia.
They will also be charged with upholding the position of the IOC as a neutral force for good during a time of intense geopolitical strife.
Coe, Coventry and Samaranch are seen as the three favourites for the role, with Coventry understood to be the choice of outgoing President Thomas Bach.
The voting is due to start at 2 PM, and we will bring you the result in today’s Sport for Business Extra Bulletin.
Further Reading for Sport for Business Members: How Sustainable Can the Olympic Games Be?
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
This is one of the most influential soft power roles in international relations, and whoever wins today’s vote will carry a heavy mantle at a time when politics has rarely been more vicious.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
We will have the result of the vote later today in our Sport for Business Extra Bulletin
MEMBERSHIP AND EVENTS
The Olympic Federation of Ireland is among the 300+ organisations in the Sport for Business community. Our Daily content on the commercial world of sport is read by 40,000 readers monthly. Please take a look below for our membership details and our upcoming events. Our Olympics Coverage is supported by our long-term partnership with Allianz.
The Sport for Business Membership comprises over 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies.Â
