New International Olympic Committee president will become the most powerful person in world sport

The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is one of the most powerful positions in the world of sports. This position grants the holder the right to stand alongside world leaders, a seat at the United Nations, a life of luxury, and the adoration of many.

After a 12-year tenure, German lawyer and Olympic gold medalist in fencing, Thomas Bach, is about to step down as President of the IOC. This Friday, over a hundred IOC members will vote for his successor at a luxury resort in Greece, with a term of eight years. Bach will remain in office for three more months to hand over to his successor and bid a final farewell in June to his exclusive residence at the five-star Lausanne Palace Hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva.

Rob Koehler, the Canadian Director General of the advocacy group "Global Athlete," stated: "I think this is probably one of the most pivotal moments for the IOC and really the entire international sports world. The IOC has been operating the same way for decades, with very little change. Since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, money has poured into the IOC, but they have kept all the money for themselves, taking no action to protect, support, or help the athletes, who are the reason people watch the Olympics."

In the four years from 2017 to 2021, the IOC's revenue reached a staggering $7.6 billion, the most recent reported four-year period including both Summer and Winter Olympics. This means an average annual income of over AUD 3 billion. The new president will take over a job that is ostensibly voluntary, but in reality, comes with a substantial annual income, countless luxurious perks such as first-class travel and five-star hotel accommodations, and opens doors to political and diplomatic power around the world.

There are seven candidates vying for the position, including Morinari Watanabe, President of the International Gymnastics Federation, who plans to hold the Olympics simultaneously on five continents. Also in the running are Prince Feisal Al Hussein, brother of King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, David Lappartient, President of the International Cycling Union, and Johan Eliasch, President of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. However, according to insiders, there are three clear frontrunners: Lord Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics and a double Olympic gold medalist, Kirsty Coventry, a Zimbabwean Olympic swimming gold medalist, and Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., a Spaniard and son of former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch.

All candidates have submitted campaign platforms and delivered 15-minute speeches to IOC members in January. These members include two Australians: Ian Chesterman, President of the Australian Olympic Committee, and Jessica Fox, a three-time Olympic gold medalist in canoe slalom, who was elected to the IOC Athletes' Commission in Paris last year. Fox, Chesterman, and other IOC members will cast secret ballots, a practice criticized by human rights lawyer Nikki Dryden, who represented Canada at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

Dryden stated: "The election method is undemocratic, very elitist, and very secretive. The IOC has not convinced me that there will be no behind-the-scenes deals, or that they won't elect the wrong candidate because they are willing to make the right deals." Fox, who is participating in the vote for the first time, told ABC Sport that members of the Athletes' Commission meet regularly to discuss important matters, such as the election of the IOC President. "We've put a lot of thought into it, and we've had a lot of meetings, so it will be interesting to see how things unfold." But on the issue of transparency, she did not break with tradition. "I think the process has been in place for a long time, this is my first time participating in the IOC election, so I'm not really sure what will happen, and what it was like before." As for how she will vote, she said: "I don't think I can say right now."

Lord Coe, a former middle-distance running champion, is the most well-known of the seven candidates. He is a double Olympic gold medalist in the 1500 meters and won silver in the 800 meters at two Olympics. Lord Coe later entered politics, becoming a Conservative Member of Parliament in the UK, before leading the organizing committee for the 2012 London Olympics. Lord Coe has served as President of World Athletics since 2015. His campaign platform focuses on form rather than substance, emphasizing what he considers the Olympic ideals: "sporting excellence," "inspiring youth," and placing "athletes at the heart of every decision we make." He wrote: "I think the most important word in our Olympic motto is not faster, higher, or stronger, but together." He has called for an urgent review of the IOC's structure. Lord Coe won some support when he announced ahead of the Paris Olympics that all gold medalists would receive a $50,000 prize.

But Koehler believes this is not enough, he wants the IOC to reach a collective bargaining agreement with athletes and provide universal compensation for all Olympians. "I mean, if you're going to support and promote athletes, then everyone should be compensated for participating in the Olympics or Paralympics." The World Athlete Association, a global umbrella organization for sports associations, released a survey this year of athletes from Australia, the United States, and France, which showed that 65% of athletes believe the IOC should share their revenue. According to the World Athlete Association, the IOC's total revenue during the COVID-affected Tokyo Olympics was $4.2 billion, equivalent to $370,000 for each of the 11,300 participating athletes. However, the World Athlete Association stated that the income athletes receive through the "Olympic Scholarship" program accounts for only 0.6% of the revenue they generate. Matthew Graham, head of the World Athlete Association, stated: "The next president must ensure that the IOC recognizes the hard work and dedication of athletes, gives them their due share, and gives them an equal voice in all matters affecting their careers, well-being, and livelihoods." Koehler stated: "You know, some people actually think that what's happening now is a bit like modern slavery."

Lord Coe himself has also stated that he wants to allocate more of the IOC's wealth to athletes, writing that he wants to "create a shared value model that allows athletes to benefit from the commercial success of the Olympics, recognizing them as important partners." But he did not outline how this shared value model would work. He did not hesitate to call for a clear distinction between male and female athletes, following the controversy surrounding Algerian boxer Imane Khelif during the Paris Olympics. Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting were both subject to intense speculation about their biological sex, despite no evidence suggesting they were not women. Lord Coe stated in an interview with ABC Sport podcast in January: "I'm sorry, gender cannot trump biology. I say this because if you don't protect and promote the integrity of women's sport, you simply don't have women's sport." Samaranch and Coventry share Lord Coe's views on this issue. Coventry wrote in her campaign platform: "I am committed to equality for athletes from all nations, and this also means strengthening women's sport by protecting female athletes."

Coventry has participated in five Olympics, winning two gold, four silver, and one bronze medal in backstroke and individual medley events. She is Zimbabwe's most successful Olympian. She has served as an IOC member since 2013, is a member of the Athletes' Commission, and served as chair of the commission from 2018 to 2021. In 2018, she was appointed Minister of Youth, Sport and Recreation in the government of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who came to power through a military coup the previous year. She was reappointed as minister after Mnangagwa's reelection in 2023, but this election was plagued by allegations of fraud, with the International Commission of Jurists calling the election "far from free and credible." Coventry stated after the election: "Every country has its own challenges." Coventry plans to continue serving as a Zimbabwean minister and cabinet member if she wins the IOC presidential election.

She is considered the choice of outgoing President Bach, but she says Bach has not campaigned for her. Her campaign platform is very similar to Lord Coe's, emphasizing the power of sport, prioritizing athletes, reaching youth, and expanding the IOC's influence through new media deals. Her difference lies in her gender and background - she would be the first female IOC President and the first IOC President from Africa. Samaranch is the longest-serving IOC member of all seven candidates, having served as a member for 24 years, during which time he has served on multiple IOC commissions. He is currently one of four IOC Vice Presidents. Unlike Lord Coe and Coventry, he is not a former Olympian. Instead, he primarily works in finance, which he considers a key strength, as well as his experience.

But his name cannot be separated from his infamous father, who served as a Spanish minister under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco and served as IOC President from 1980 to 2001 - at which time his son was elected as an IOC member. Under Samaranch's leadership, the IOC became a financial giant with millions of dollars in funding, thanks to lucrative deals with global brands and huge media rights contracts. IOC members benefited greatly from the lavish treatment provided to them by bidding countries, accompanied by countless allegations of vote-buying. Samaranch Jr. stated that he is proud of his father's achievements. He said at a recent press conference: "My father made a huge contribution to the Olympic movement, but every generation has its own challenges."

As for his campaign platform, he focuses on better governance - which is clearly a jab at Bach. Koehler said: "Thomas Bach wielded enormous power. Either listen to him, or leave, and if you don't listen to him, you'll be marginalized." Samaranch wrote in his campaign platform: "The IOC's greatest strength lies not in the narrow views of a few, but in the collective wisdom of its members. To fulfill our mission, members must be fully empowered to express their opinions and insights." He has called for IOC meetings to be open discussion forums and for all decisions to be debated. All candidates have spoken about an athlete-first stance, which Fox welcomes. "I think as an athlete representative, that's really important for the athlete experience at the Games and in the Olympic movement. I think what's really exciting is that athletes are respected and are being put forward as key decision-makers, and that's what the Olympics are all about."

But Koehler says the candidates' talk of putting athletes first sounds hollow. He said: "Instead of talking about it, do it. Involve the athletes, strengthen their rights, and let them develop the sport as equal partners, ensuring it is strong, powerful, and athlete-centered. Until they actually show and do it, it will just become empty words and slogans, and sponsors are seeing this." He mentioned that three major Japanese companies - Toyota, Bridgestone, and Panasonic - withdrew their IOC sponsorships after last year's Paris Olympics. Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda stated that the IOC's goals did not align with their own. Akio Toyoda said: "To be honest, I'm not sure if they (the IOC) are really focused on people-centeredness. The next president will have to move in that direction, because the advocacy and voice of athletes will not slow down. It will get bigger and bigger, and if the new president doesn't move in that direction, they will find themselves in a very difficult situation."

The next IOC President will automatically become the most powerful person in the world of sports. He or she will also face multiple challenges, most notably, the athlete community's desire for more funding and a greater voice in their careers, and the growing demands for reform.