Who after Thomas Bach? Know the seven candidates in race to become next IOC president

The International Olympic Committee published a list of seven would-be candidates, set to run for election in March to succeed outgoing president Thomas Bach for the next eight years.

Thomas Bach, the current IOC president, announced at the 142nd IOC Session that he would not be running for another term, in Paris last month. | Photo Credit: AP

Two former Olympic champions are in the race to be the next IOC president. So is the Prince of a Middle East kingdom and the son of a former president. The global leaders of cycling, gymnastics and skiing also are in play.

The International Olympic Committee published a list Monday of seven would-be candidates who are set to run for election in March to succeed outgoing president Thomas Bach for the next eight years.

Here is all you need to know about the candidates, of whom will become the president at the 143rd IOC Session held from 18 to 21 March 2025 in Greece.

Prince Feisal Al Hussein

HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein is currently a Member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), President of the Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC), Chair of the IOC’s Prevention of Harassment and Abuse in Sport Working Group, Vice-Chair of the IOC’s Women in Sport Commission and a member of several other IOC commissions.

File photo: Prince Feisal Al Hussein also serves on the Executive Board of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and is Chairman of the OCA’s Peace Through Sport Committee. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

His sports administration career began as Chair of the Pan Arab Games Organising Committee in 1999 and he was then elected President of the JOC in 2003.

He also serves on the Executive Board of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and is Chairman of the OCA’s Peace Through Sport Committee.

Prince Feisal Al Hussein

Maximum duration of term

Elected as an IOC Member in 2010 as an individual member (Olympic Charter, Rule 16.1.1.1).

Born in 1963; HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein is eligible to be re-elected as an IOC Member until he reaches the age limit of 70 in 2033.

According to the Olympic Charter, Rule 16.3.3.2.1 to 16.3.3.2.4, he may be proposed for a four-year age limit extension until 2037.

Disclosure of interest

Entities/companies (Location)

Generations For Peace (Jordan) Jordan Esports Federation (Jordan) Jordan Motor Sport (Jordan) Jordan Olympic Committee (Jordan) Jordan Volleyball Federation (Jordan)

Sebastian Coe

Coe is a former Olympian who won four Olympic medals and set eight world records in middle-distance events. In 2003, he became a council member of the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) (now World Athletics).

He was also a member of many commissions including the First Athletes’ Commission (1981), Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 (2014-2021) and Olympism 365 (2022-)

Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics, acknowledges the crowd during the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 11. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

A year later, Coe was named head of London’s bid for the 2012 Olympics. After London was awarded the Games in 2005, he became the chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games.

RELATED: IOC presidential elections: Seven members enter race to Bach as International Olympic Association president

He soon became the President of the IAAF. He has also served in the British Olympic Association Board, as an IOC Member.

Sebastian Coe

Maximum duration of term

Elected as an IOC Member in 2020 as the President of World Athletics (Olympic Charter, Rule 16.1.1.3).

Pursuant to the Olympic Charter, Rule 16.3.7, Lord Coe will cease to be an IOC Member upon ceasing to exercise the function of World Athletics President.

Lord Coe was re-elected as World Athletics President in 2023 for a third and final term ending in 2027 (World Athletics Constitution - 2019 edition, as amended and approved by the World Athletics Congress on 18 August 2023, Article 53.3).

Born in 1956; Lord Coe is eligible to be re-elected as an IOC Member until he reaches the age limit of 70 in 2026.

Lord Coe may be proposed to the IOC Session for a change of membership status.

Pursuant to the Olympic Charter, Rule 16.3.3.2, he may be proposed for a four-year age limit extension until 2030.

Disclosure of interest

Allwyn Entertainment AG (Switzerland) British Olympic Association (BOA) (UK) Diamond League (Monaco) Fortescue Metals Group (Australia) Horometrie SA (France) Loughborough University (UK) Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force (UK) Sebastian Coe Charitable Foundation CIO (SSCF) (UK) The Complete Leisure Group Limited (UK) Vitality Companies (UK) Wasserman (former CSM Sport and Entertainment LLP) (UK) World Athletics (Monaco)

Kirsty Coventry

Kirsty Coventry is a five-time Olympian from Zimbabwe who won seven Olympic medals. Coventry is a member of the International Olympic Committee, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and Vice President of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee.

Coventry, a former world record holder in 200m backstroke, was the only woman on the list. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

She is a member of FINA’s athlete committee and a member of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

She also recently established the Kirsty Coventry Academy, a learn-to-swim programme, and a non-profit organisation that supports the underprivileged in low-income communities.

Kirsty Coventry

Maximum duration of term

Elected as an IOC Member as a member of the Athletes’ Commission from 2013 to 2021; then elected as an IOC Member as an individual member in 2021 (Olympic Charter, Rule 16.1.1.1).

Born in 1983; Mrs Coventry is eligible to be re-elected as an IOC Member until she reaches the age limit of 70 in 2053.

Pursuant to the Olympic Charter, Rule 16.3.3.2.1 to 16.3.3.2.4, she may be proposed for a four-year age limit extension until 2057.

Disclosure of interest

KCA Swim School (Kirsty Coventry Academy Swim School) (Zimbabwe) Heroes Foundation (Zimbabwe)

Johan Eliasch

Johan Eliasch is an IOC member who competed in curling at various championships in the late-1970s. He serves as the President of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) (2021 - ); President, the Marc Hodler Foundation (2021 - ) and has been Council Member of the Winter Olympic Federations since 2021.

Eliasch was part of the British Olympic Association Advisory Board from 2003 to 2012 and Director of the Special Olympics Great Britain for five years from 2002.  | Photo Credit: REUTERS

a member of the British Olympic Association, a member of the Association of International Winter Olympic Federations, and President of the Marc Hodler Foundation.

He was part of the British Olympic Association Advisory Board from 2003 to 2012 and Director of the Special Olympics Great Britain for five years from 2002.

Johan Eliasch

Maximum duration of term

Elected as an IOC Member in 2024 as the President of the International Ski Federation (FIS) (Olympic Charter, Rule 16.1.1.3).

Pursuant to the Olympic Charter, Rule 16.3.7, he will cease to be an IOC Member upon ceasing to exercise the function of FIS President.

Mr Eliasch was elected in 2021 as President of FIS; he is eligible to be re-elected as FIS President.

Born in 1962, he could be eligible to be re-elected as an IOC Member as long as he remains FIS President and until he reaches the age limit of 70 in 2032.

Mr Eliasch may be proposed to the IOC Session for a change of membership status.

According to the Olympic Charter, Rule 16.3.3.2.1 to 16.3.3.2.4, he may be proposed for a four-year age limit extension until 2036.

Disclosure of interest

This information will be finalised soon.

David Lappartient

David Lappartient has been an IOC member since 2022 and is Chair of the IOC’s Esports and Gaming Liaison Group (ELG), and President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). He also competed as a Club cyclist at the regional level from 1986 to 2004.

David Lappartient, President of the UCI World Tour attends the Men’s Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day fifteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

He is also the Chair of the UCI World Cycling Centre Foundation Board, the UCI education and training centre, and a member of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Foundation Board.

He is also a member of the following commissions: Athletes’ Entourage (2019-); Digital Engagement and Marketing Communications (2022-)

David Lappartient

Maximum duration of term

Elected as an IOC Member in 2022 as the President of the International Cycling Union (UCI) (Olympic Charter, Rule 16.1.1.3).

Pursuant to the Olympic Charter, Rule 16.3.7, he will cease to be an IOC Member upon ceasing to exercise the function of UCI President.

Mr Lappartient was re-elected in 2021 as UCI President; he is eligible to be re-elected as UCI President for a third term (2025-2029).

Born in 1973, he could be eligible to be re-elected as an IOC Member as long as he remains President of the UCI and until he reaches the age limit of 70 in 2043.

Mr Lappartient may be proposed to the IOC Session for a change of membership status.

According to the Olympic Charter, Rule 16.3.3.2.1 to 16.3.3.2.4, he may be proposed for a four-year age limit extension until 2047.

Disclosure of interest

World Anti-Doping Agency (Canada) Agence Nationale du Sport (France) CMC Exploitation SA (Switzerland) Comité d’Organisation de Paris 2024 (France) Comité National Olympique et Sportif Français (France) Conseil Départmental du Morbihan (France) Fondation Centre Mondial du Cyclisme (Switzerland) Union Cycliste Internationale (Switzerland)

Juan Antonio Samaranch

Juan Antonio Samaranch has been part of the IOC since 2001. He was a Spanish sports administrator under the Franco regime (1973–1977) who served as the seventh President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1980 to 2001.

He was appointed Chef de Mission for the Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo (1956), the Summer Games in Rome (1960), and the Summer Games in Tokyo (1964).

Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr has been a member of the Spanish National Olympic Committee since 1989. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

For the Rome and Tokyo Games, he was also president of the Spanish delegation. He has been a member of the Spanish National Olympic Committee since 1989, Board of the Spanish Modern Pentathlon Federation (1980-1990); a member of the Board (1984-1996) then first Vice-President of the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) (1996-)

Juan Antonio Samaranch

Maximum duration of term

Elected as an IOC Member in 2001 as an individual member (Olympic Charter, Rule 16.1.1.1).

Born in 1959; Mr Samaranch is eligible to be re-elected as an IOC Member until he reaches the age limit of 70 in 2029.

According to the Olympic Charter, Rule 16.3.3.2.1 to 16.3.3.2.4, he may be proposed for a four-year age limit extension until 2033.

Disclosure of interest

Automatic Media SL (Spain) Brebis Madrid, SA (Spain) GBS Finance Corporate Finance SAU (Spain) GBS Finance SA (Spain) JAS, SL (Spain) RACC (Spain) Round Rock, SA (Spain) Sama International La & Konsulting SL -SILK (Spain) Samaranch Foundation (People’s Republic of China)

Morinari Watanabe

Morinari Watanabe is the ninth president of the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) and its first Asian president.

He also served as a coach in artistic and rhythmic gymnastics (1983-1990) and was Organising Committee President of the AEON Cup, and has been a member of the IOC since 2018.

Watanabe has been serving as the president of the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique since January 2017.  | Photo Credit: REUTERS

He has been a board member of the Japan Gymnastics Association (1996-2016), Managing Director of the Japan Gymnastics Association (1996-2008), Secretary General of the Japan Gymnastics Association (2009-2016), Executive Board member of the Japanese Olympic Committee (2019-), Executive Board member of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2020 (2019-).

Morinari Watanabe

Maximum duration of term

Elected as an IOC Member in 2018 as the President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) (Olympic Charter, Rule 16.1.1.3).

Pursuant to the Olympic Charter, Rule 16.3.7, he will cease to be an IOC Member upon ceasing to exercise the function of FIG President.

Mr Watanabe was re-elected in 2021 until 2024 as FIG President; he is eligible to be re-elected as FIG President for a third term (2024-2028).

Born in 1959, he could be eligible to be re-elected as an IOC Member as long as he remains President of the FIG and until he reaches the age limit of 70 in 2029.

Mr Watanabe may be proposed to the IOC Session for a change of membership status.

According to the Olympic Charter, Rule 16.3.3.2.1 to 16.3.3.2.4, he may be proposed for a four-year age limit extension until 2033.

Disclosure of interest

EON Retail Co., Ltd (Japan) International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) (Switzerland) Japan Urban Sports Federation (Japan)