LONDON (Reuters) – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has published the manifestos of the seven candidates to succeed Thomas Bach as president in March.
Below is a selection of some of the key manifesto points of three of the candidates. The remaining four to follow:
Sebastian Coe, British, 68.
Qualifications – President of World Athletics, organised and delivered 2012 London Olympics, former member of British Parliament, IOC member since 2020, double Olympic 1500 metres gold medallist.
Key quotes from manifesto and presentation:
* The IOC is not a broken organisation but it can be so much better and it needs change. There is too much power in the hands of too few people. The decision-making processes are out of balance and the fences need to be taken down. The members are under-utilised. There is no shortage of talent and I want to take advantage of the huge bank of knowledge and experience that exists there.
I know there is an appetite for change from the members.
* I’ve effectively been preparing for this role my whole life, which has always been dedicated to sport. I don’t know if my approach will ruffle the feathers of current senior officials but that’s not my concern. My only interest is in making the organisation better.
* The most potent social worker in all our communities is sport. We have to do more to engage with governments to know what this means – this is our core business.
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Prince Feisal Al Hussein, Jordanian, 61
Qualifications – President of the Jordan Olympic Committee, Chairman of Jordan Motorsport, Executive Board Member of Olympic Council of Asia, Member of the Executive Council of the Association of National Olympic Committees
IOC: Member since 2010, member of Executive Board since 2019.
* Where our Games are held also necessitates a review of when they are held. I believe our changing climate requires a review of the sporting calendar so more host cities can bid for the Olympic Games.
* We must also look at how we can maximise Olympic Games revenue share for IFs and NOCs.
* Esports: It is clear we must collude and not collide with this genre of sport. I believe that the Olympic Esports Games, like the Olympic Qualifier Series – with its focus on urban sports – are a step in the right direction.
* I intend to engage the world’s youth beyond the Olympic Games period to daily engagement throughout the whole quadrennial.
* AI: Properly harnessing AI can enhance the enjoyment of sport while levelling the playing field. As we continue to explore the IOC’s Olympic AI Agenda, we must ensure this technology is accessible to all.
* From my years in military command to my work with the National Policy Council, I have learned that effective leadership stems not from imposing ideas but from listening, building trust and drawing upon the collective wisdom of a team.
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Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., Spanish, 65
Qualifications – Member of the Spanish National Olympic Committee since 1989; first Vice-President of the International Modern Pentathlon Union since 1996, CEO and founding partner of GBS Finance S.A. Son of former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch, Member since 2010 and Member of the Executive Board from 2012-2016 and since 2019. IOC Vice-President from 2016-2020 and since 2022.
* Athletes are the heartbeat of the Olympic Movement, and IOC Members are its guardians and trustees. From our conversations, it is clear that Members need a stronger voice in shaping our future. We must also revisit the age limit – Extend the retirement age to 75 – to ensure we are not arbitrarily losing the benefits of experience and knowledge.
* Commission a comprehensive operational review with an experienced external resource, Olympic experts, and select IOC Members to evaluate all IOC programs for alignment with the mission, impact, and return on investment with four primary areas of focus: Streamline Processes, Modernize Technology, Optimize Resources and Measure Performance.
* Members should decide on the Host City selection and should remain flexible and open to adjusting our calendar to make hosting the Games more accessible for all regions, given our changing climate and commitment to Universality.
* Review the increasing geographical spread of Games venues. While there are valid reasons to disperse them strategically, such decisions should be based on legacy issues and operational realities, not politics.
* We should protect women in sports. The IOC has a fundamental duty to safeguard women’s sport by adopting a policy to maintain unambiguous distinctions between men’s and women’s categories. The IOC must lead on this issue by setting clear guidelines for competition.
* Continue engaging with global leaders to emphasize and uphold the importance of maintaining the Olympic Movement’s political independence.
* Conduct an immediate review of our Media agreements along with our partners to ensure that we are maximizing the reach and promotional opportunities for the Olympic brand.
* Based on my banking experience, I believe that there is potential to establish a $1 billion investment fund in which the IOC contributes specialised knowledge and insights while investors provide the necessary capital. This partnership structure would enable the IOC to participate financially with minimal risk.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, Fernando Kallas and Rohith Nair, editing by Angus MacSwan)
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