IOC presidential candidate Sebastian Coe on gender in sport, Trump, and the Brisbane Olympics

Earlier this week, seven candidates for the International Olympic Committee presidency presented their case in a closed-door meeting in Switzerland, explaining why they were suitable for one of the most important positions in world sport. The entire process, shrouded in mystery and tradition, took place in front of 100 electors and was not open to the public. Each candidate had 15 minutes to outline how they would drive the Olympic movement forward in what is the first contested presidential election since 2013.

Mobile phones were banned during the meeting, and no questions were allowed. The candidates will have to wait until the vote in Greece on March 20 to learn the outcome. Speakers included Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., son of the former IOC president of the same name, who announced Sydney as the host city for the 2000 Olympics. Also present was Kirsty Coventry, a Zimbabwean swimmer who is the most decorated African Olympian in history with seven medals.

Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan was also in the running. Other candidates included Johan Eliasch, president of the International Ski Federation, and David Lappartient, president of the International Cycling Union. Morinari Watanabe, president of the International Gymnastics Federation of Japan, put forward a bold plan to turn the Olympics into a 24-hour spectacle, with events being held on every continent in future Games. The final candidate was Sebastian Coe, considered one of the most recognizable names to Australians, and a favorite to succeed the outgoing president, Thomas Bach.

Speaking to legendary broadcaster Bruce McAvaney on ABC Sport Daily, Coe said, "The person that the bookmakers have as the favorite isn't always the person that ends up winning. It's a complex process, it's ultimately for the members to decide, and I think they probably make their minds up at the last minute." The winner will be announced immediately after the vote on March 20. There will then be a three-month transition period before the new president officially takes over in June. The new president will face a range of thorny discussions and decisions, many of which are more political than sporting.

Among the issues the new president will need to address are the ongoing war in Eastern Europe and how to treat Russian athletes; gender issues in sport; stadium construction in Brisbane; and the threat of climate change and its impact on major events. In addition, the new president will also need to navigate diplomacy with the new US President, Donald Trump, ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Coe has been careful in his wording when talking about these topics, avoiding saying anything that could damage his bid for the IOC presidency. "I'm not perfect, I don't have all the answers," Coe said. "That's why I always rely on a really qualified headquarters team and members who feel they're part of it and are prepared to point out where I'm going wrong."

Coe also stated, "I guess that's maybe my athlete nature. Any athlete will tell you, any good coach will tell you, the difference between a good athlete and a great athlete is their appetite for critique." On the issue of gender in sport, a topic that has sparked fierce debate on all sides, Coe's stance on this issue is perhaps the most resolute of all the major topics he has discussed. When asked by McAvaney if he would implement the rules he put in place while head of World Athletics, Coe said, "We follow the science. I'm sorry, gender cannot trump biology. I say that because if you don't protect and promote the integrity of women's sport, you don't have women's sport at all."

Coe continued, "I wasn't going to allow that to happen during my time as president of World Athletics. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions, and those decisions aren't always universally popular. I'm mature enough to know that, but we made the right decisions and we gave very clear guidance. A number of international federations have followed suit, and that's a good thing." On other issues, Coe has been more circumspect. He has carefully navigated the will of those in power, needing to act with caution and preparation. On Russia, he said that great progress had been made in cleaning up doping issues, but the war in Ukraine was an issue that needed to be "monitored."

On Trump, he said he was surprised that anyone would think that the incoming US president wouldn't be fully supportive of the biggest sporting event on the planet being held in his own country, despite the environmental disaster unfolding in Los Angeles. "I'm surprised that anybody would think that the incoming US president, with the next summer Games in his backyard, would not be fully supportive," he said. "Sometimes the conversations around hosting an Olympic Games are tough conversations. Sometimes they're behind closed doors. Sometimes they're public. I've lived in that environment for many years, and I understand that."

Coe also mentioned, "It is well known that there have been some terrible, devastating fires in the Los Angeles area, but the venues that will be used in 2028 have not been damaged. I attended a press conference where the president did say he was 100 percent behind the Olympics and 100 percent behind California. That can only bode well." If the new IOC president completes their full term, they will oversee Australia's third Olympic Games, the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, which has generated a mix of pride and cynicism among locals.

Coe, while trying to maintain a detached posture, also issued a warning to organizers. "This isn't a criticism of Brisbane," he said when asked about the time needed to build momentum for the Games. "I'm actually an honorary citizen of Australia, but I think we have to be very clear. The world changes every 10 minutes. You and I know that, the world knows that. I think that locking in venues 12, 13 years out maybe isn't the best way of doing it, because you don't know where the world strategy is going to go. You don't know what emerging markets are going to open up to you. I think you need more flexibility."

However, the Olympic stadium is still a headache for stakeholders in Queensland, a decision that needs to be made sooner rather than later before the final event. "I'm too old to get involved in local complexities," Coe said. "It's for the local community, the organizing committee, and the IOC to decide what is best and what leaves the best legacy, because legacy is important here. You don't want the Games to be just three weeks of great sport and then a few years later people forget about its impact or they can't observe the impact it had."

From Los Angeles to Brisbane and beyond, the next IOC president will carry the weight of the sporting world on their shoulders. It will be a legacy that will follow them long after they leave office. "You have to stand by what you believe in, stand by what you say, and then go and deliver it," Coe said. "You should be judged on that."

Listen to the full interview with Bruce McAvaney and Sebastian Coe on ABC Sport Daily.