Race for Olympic Leadership: Who Will Shape the Future of Global Sports?

The race for the presidency of the International Olympic Committee heats up as members gather in Greece to choose a successor to Thomas Bach. With crucial decisions on issues like transgender athletes and Russia, the new leader will shape global sports. Candidates include David Lappartient, Sebastian Coe, and Kirsty Coventry.

The battle for the top position in global sports is intensifying this week as International Olympic Committee (IOC) members converge in Greece to elect their new president. With Thomas Bach stepping down, seven candidates are competing to lead the committee, each hoping to secure the majority needed from over 100 IOC votes.

The hopefuls include international cycling chief David Lappartient, IOC vice-president Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., World Athletics' Sebastian Coe, Zimbabwe's sports minister Kirsty Coventry, Prince Feisal Al Hussein, International Gymnastics Federation's Morinari Watanabe, and Johan Eliasch of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. The winner will influence the trajectory of sports and manage issues like transgender athletes and Russia.

The new president's responsibilities include setting universal rules for transgender athletes and maintaining relations with the U.S., crucial for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Additionally, they must address Russia's committee ban following the Ukraine invasion. The election unfolds through multiple voting rounds at a Greek resort, with no clear frontrunner, echoing the competitive 2013 race.

(With inputs from agencies.)