COSTA NAVARINO, Greece, 19 March 2025 (BSS/AFP) – The race to succeed Thomas Bach as President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reaches its climax on Thursday, with Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., Sebastian Coe, and Kirsty Coventry emerging as frontrunners in what is expected to be a closely contested election.
Any one of the three securing victory would make history in its own right. Samaranch Jr. would follow in the footsteps of his father, becoming the first father-son duo to have held the prestigious position. Coe, the President of World Athletics, would be the first Briton to assume the role, while Coventry, aged 41, would not only be the youngest ever president but also the first woman and the first African to lead the organisation.
However, surprises cannot be ruled out, as the 100-plus IOC members voting behind closed doors may yet deliver an unexpected outcome in one of the most influential elections in sports governance.
Also in the running are Johan Eliasch, President of the International Ski Federation and a well-known environmental advocate; Morinari Watanabe, President of the International Gymnastics Federation; David Lappartient, President of the International Cycling Union (UCI); and Prince Feisal al-Hussein of Jordan.
The election process itself will mirror the secrecy of a papal conclave, as all IOC members will be required to surrender their mobile phones before entering the voting chamber. The election is set against the historic backdrop of Costa Navarino, near the site of the Battle of Navarino in 1827, a decisive conflict in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. While this modern-day contest will be fought without bloodshed, it has turned increasingly contentious, with the leading candidates facing targeted criticisms in the final week of campaigning.
Challenges Await the Next IOC Chief
Whoever emerges victorious will inherit an organisation that is financially stable yet faces significant geopolitical and sporting challenges. The upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will require diplomatic finesse, particularly in dealing with an unpredictable Donald Trump, who will be in office as President of the United States. The new IOC leader will also need to navigate the complexities of a shifting global landscape, where traditional Olympic values of “universality, fraternity, and unity” are increasingly contested.
Samaranch Jr., a seasoned IOC member of over two decades, has positioned himself as a candidate offering continuity and stability. The 65-year-old Spaniard argues that experience should be the key criterion for electing the next president, rather than nationality, gender, or other considerations.
“It is not about the face, the gender, or the continent,” Samaranch Jr. told AFP. “Even in the easiest of times, we should elect the best person for the job. This is too important and too relevant for too many people to experiment.”
Should he win, Samaranch Jr. would take charge of an IOC markedly different from the one his father led from 1980 to 2001, a period during which he transformed the financial model of the Olympic movement. Despite acknowledging his father’s legacy, Samaranch Jr. insists that his leadership approach would be entirely his own.
Coe, by contrast, is seen as a reformist candidate, despite his establishment credentials. The 68-year-old two-time Olympic champion in the 1,500 metres has built a formidable résumé, including leading London’s successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games and later overseeing the event’s widely praised execution. As President of World Athletics since 2015, he has been credited with reforming the sport’s global governance.
Coe has pledged to empower IOC members by reducing centralised control, stating, “My approach would be: don’t micro-manage.” However, his campaign has reportedly faced resistance from Bach, who is said to have privately lobbied members against supporting Coe. Despite this, an IOC insider remarked, “Never write Coe off—he is a winner.”
Meanwhile, Coventry has pursued a more understated campaign, though she is widely believed to be Bach’s preferred successor. The seven-time Olympic medallist has downplayed such speculation, yet a seriously ill IOC member has reportedly travelled to Greece specifically to cast a vote in her favour. Coventry has framed her candidacy as a historic opportunity for African leadership on the global sporting stage.
“For Africa, it would open up, I think, many opportunities for different leadership roles to say, right, as Africa, we’re ready,” she said. “We’re ready to lead.”
A Pivotal Moment for the Olympic Movement
The race has been marred by complaints from candidates, including Coe, about restrictions on engaging with voting members. Critics argue that the electoral process lacks transparency and favours the incumbent administration’s preferred successor.
Regardless of the outcome, the next IOC president will shape the Olympic movement at a time of both promise and uncertainty. With new sporting disciplines emerging, climate change concerns affecting host cities, and geopolitical tensions influencing participation, the incoming leader will need to balance tradition with innovation while ensuring the Games remain a unifying force on the global stage.
The world now awaits the result of this historic election.
