The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Election

• Mar 18, 2025, Greece

On August 10, 2024, Thomas Bach announced he would step away from his role as the IOC president at the end of his second term in 2025.

While there were many calls for him to consider an extension, he is expected to say goodbye to the job, leaving the door open for one of the biggest positions in world sport.

Every 12 years, IOC candidates have an opportunity to secure the top job, and the IOC has recently announced the members who have entered its presidential race.

Continue reading to learn more details about the upcoming International Olympic Committee Election, including the election date, candidates, the voting process, and more.

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When is the IOC Election Meeting?

The IOC Election Meeting will reportedly be held from March 18 to 21, 2025, at a resort hotel in Greece, which will be a stone’s throw from the site of Ancient Olympia.

Who are the IOC Candidates?

The IOC recently announced seven candidates are in the running to take over the presidency from Thomas Bach, a German lawyer and Olympic gold medalist.

The presidential candidates are restricted to IOC members, and they are voted for by 111 members.

The IOC candidates are:

• Kirsty Coventry – An Olympic champion who chaired the IOC panel for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. She has been an IOC member since 2013.
• Sebastian Coe – The Olympic Champion has served as the President of World Athletics since 2015 and led the 2012 London Olympics organizing committee. He’s been an IOC member since 2020.
• Johan Eliasch – The CEO and owner of Head sports equipment has served as the President of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation since 2021. He became an IOC member in August 2024.
• David Lappartient – He stepped into the role of the President of the International Cycling Union in 2017 and is the President of France’s Olympic committee. He joined as an IOC member in 2022.
• Prince Feisal al Hussein – He founded the Generations for Peace sports charity and is the younger brother of King Abdullah II of Jordan. He has been a member of the IOC since 2010.
• Morinari Watanabe – He became the Japanese President of the International Gymnastics Federation in 2017 and joined as a member of the IOC a year later.
• Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. – Served as Vice President of the IOC since 2022 and joined as a member in 2001. Also, he is a founder of a Spanish investment bank and launched the Samaranch Foundation to promote the Olympic Games across China.

Who is Most Likely to be President?

Sebastian Coe is the current favorite to be named President of the IOC in March 2025. If he is, he will become the first member from Britain to enter the role.

However, Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. could follow in his father’s footsteps and be named the next president. His father enjoyed more than 20 years in the role from 1980 to 2001.

What is the IOC Voting Process?

IOC members will vote for the next president via secret ballot during a session at a Greek resort hotel in March 2025. The current president and other members will cast a vote for the candidate they believe is the best fit for the eight-year term.

Members cannot publicly endorse their pick for president, and only one person can be elected to the position.

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