Messinia, Greece, March 19 – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidential race erupted into high gear on Wednesday, unfolding against the stunning Ionian Sea at the Costa Navarino resort in Greece’s southwestern Peloponnese.
Seven contenders vying to succeed Thomas Bach made their final pitches as the 144th IOC Session kicked off, marking Bach’s last as president. The election’s outcome will steer the world’s richest multi-sport entity—boasting $7 billion in revenue per four-year cycle—for the next decade.
Amid the opulent surroundings of this five-star seaside retreat, the air buzzed with talk of alliances and strategies as over 100 IOC members prepared to cast their confidential ballots. The Mediterranean’s salty breeze mingled with the scent of ambition as candidates faced a barrage of cameras and questions en route to a sea-view terrace lunch.
Britain’s Lord Sebastian Coe, a leading contender, breezed past reporters with a grin, saying only, “I’m still here,” offering no further insight. Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, another frontrunner and reportedly Bach’s favored successor, kept her remarks brief, sharing a single comment with German media before joining the others. Spain’s Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., son of the IOC’s longest-serving president, rounded out the trio of presumed favorites. “It’s easy to mistake a smile or a kind word for a vote,” he cautioned with a smile, emphasizing the secrecy of the process. “We’ll only know when the votes are counted.”
Samaranch Jr vowed to campaign “until the very last second” before Thursday’s 4 p.m. deadline, acknowledging the unpredictability of the race. French candidate David Lappartient, head of cycling’s global body, echoed that sentiment, predicting multiple voting rounds. “It’s wide open,” he said, likening it to a cycling race: “I’m riding fast, still in the pack, and haven’t been dropped.”
When the campaigning and chatter subside, at 4 p.m. local time (2 p.m. UK) on Thursday, IOC members from across the globe will convene in the conference room of the Westin Resort at Costa Navarino—mere yards from a Bernhard Langer-designed golf course, one of four at a complex favored by celebrities like Bill Murray and Cristiano Ronaldo. There, they will determine who will top this eclectic leaderboard and claim the title of the most powerful figure in global sport.
With no candidate guaranteed a majority among the 100-plus votes, the process will eliminate the lowest scorer after each round until a winner emerges. Lappartient, Coe, Coventry, and Samaranch Jr are joined by Johan Eliasch (world skiing), Morinari Watanabe (gymnastics), and Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan. Eliasch called it “a big day” with “seven good candidates,” while Watanabe offered a calm, “I am waiting.” Prince Feisal highlighted the campaign’s upside: “I’ve engaged more with members in months than in years—this global community is our strength.”
Veteran Olympic observers see Coe locked in a three-way tussle with Coventry—who could become the IOC’s first female president—and Samaranch Jr, who might follow in his father’s footsteps. Outgoing president Thomas Bach is understood to favor Coventry as his successor, adding another layer of intrigue. Lord Coe faces a formidable challenge in his bid to become the 10th IOC president, with the outcome poised to redefine the Olympic movement’s future.
As the sun set over Greece’s shores, the stage was set for a vote that would blend power, politics, and the Olympic legacy. The world would be watching to see who would claim the prize.
