Race for IOC Presidency Heats Up: Former Champions, Royalty, and Billionaires in Line

Seven candidates, including past Olympic champions, a Middle Eastern prince, and top sports executives, are vying for the position of IOC president. They sent a letter of intent to outgoing president Thomas Bach by the deadline. The final candidate list will be confirmed in January 2024, three months before the election.

Seven would-be candidates, including former Olympic champions, a Middle Eastern prince, and top sports executives, are in the race to become the next International Olympic Committee (IOC) president. The candidates met the deadline to send a letter of intent to outgoing president Thomas Bach, whose term ends next year.

The contenders include Kirsty Coventry from Zimbabwe, Sebastian Coe, Prince Feisal al Hussein of Jordan, Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr from Spain, and leaders from the cycling, gymnastics, and skiing federations. Coe, a two-time Olympic champion and president of World Athletics, is widely seen as the most qualified candidate.

The final list of candidates will be confirmed in January, with the election set for March in Greece. The new president's mandate will cover critical events including the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Games and the Brisbane 2032 Summer Games, along with selecting the host for the 2036 Olympics and negotiating a new U.S. broadcast deal.

(With inputs from agencies.)