Costa Navarino: The competition to succeed Thomas Bach as the president of the International Olympic Committee is approaching its conclusion, with Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior, Sebastian Coe, and Kirsty Coventry emerging as the frontrunners among the remaining candidates. Each of these three individuals would mark a significant milestone in the election taking place in Greece on Thursday. Samaranch would follow in his father’s footsteps, becoming the first father-son duo to hold the presidency, Coe would make history as the first British president, and Coventry, at 41, would be the youngest, as well as the first woman and African to assume the role.
However, the possibility of unexpected outcomes from the electorate of over 100 IOC members remains, as they vie for the most influential position in sports governance. The competitive landscape also includes notable figures such as Johan Eliasch, the ski federation president and environmental advocate; Morinari Watanabe, president of the gymnastics federation; David Lappartient, head of the cycling federation; and Prince Feisal al-Hussein.
The eventual winner will inherit a financially stable organization, yet this stability is complicated by a volatile geopolitical climate. Additionally, the new IOC president will need to navigate the unpredictable nature of US President Donald Trump, as Los Angeles prepares to host the Summer Olympics in 2028.
In what Samaranch describes as a “very complex world,” where once-accepted principles like “universality, fraternity, and unity” are now questioned, it is crucial to avoid rash decisions. The 65-year-old Spaniard, a seasoned IOC member with over 20 years of experience, asserts that he offers the steady leadership necessary for these challenging times. “It is not about the face or the gender, or the continent,” he stated in an interview with 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.”
Samaranch would take over an IOC radically different to the one his father did in 1980 and then ran for over two decades, effectively saving it with a radical transformation of its finances.
Samaranch Junior, though, has repeatedly batted away comparisons with his father.
“Nothing of what he and all these extraordinary people did to bring Olympism back to life, nothing of what they encountered are remotely relevant today,” he said.
Coe appears to be seen by Bach as the disruptor candidate, which is perhaps surprising given many would view him as an establishment figure.
While Samaranch Junior brings a calm urbanity, two-time Olympic 1500 metres champion Coe oozes charisma and a ready wit.
Coe, 68, also boasts an impressive CV. A former lawmaker for the centre-right Conservatives, he led London’s successful bid to host the 2012 Games, surprising long-time front-runners Paris.
He then took the plaudits along with his team for the highly-praised hosting of the Games and has been credited with reforming World Athletics since becoming president in 2015.
He has promised IOC members will get a greater voice than it is felt has been the case during Bach’s 12-year tenure — Coe told AFP his approach would be “don’t micro-manage”.
“If you’ve got really smart people around you and your ambition as a leader is to have people that are smarter than you around you, then use them,” he said.
Both Samaranch Junior and Coe have conducted high-profile media campaigns in contrast to Coventry’s low-key strategy.
The seven-time Olympic swimming medallist, two of them gold, is widely seen as being Bach’s preferred candidate, something she denies.
She has also been firm about protecting women in sport.
“It is our job as the IOC to ensure we are going to create that environment and not just create a level playing field but an environment that allows for every athlete to feel safe.”
There have been question marks over her accepting the post of sports minister in the Zimbabwean government whose election in 2023 was described as neither “free nor fair.”
“I have learned so many things from stepping into this ministry role. I have taken it upon myself to change a lot of policies within my country and how things are done,” Coventry said.
There have been complaints from some of the candidates, including Coe, over the electoral rules — mainly that there is not enough engagement permitted with their electorate, the IOC members.
Coe appears to be battling against the odds — it has been reported Bach has been phoning members advising them to not vote for him.
However, that may not have the impact Bach hopes.
“Never write Coe off,” one IOC member told AFP.
