On 19 August 2015, at the IAAF Congress in Beijing, Sebastian Coe began a new chapter in his sporting career, taking the helm of the organization then known as the IAAF, now World Athletics, the global governing body for the Olympic sport of athletics.
Twelve years later, Beijing will once again provide the backdrop for a defining moment in the sport’s history, as Coe prepares to pass the baton to his successor.
Nobody is irreplaceable, but replacing Sebastian Coe will be no easy task.
During his presidency, Coe has overseen significant changes to the organization and its governance, laying important foundations for the future of athletics. He has raised the bar and set new expectations for the organization. Whoever succeeds him will inherit an organization that has undergone considerable transformation, but will also face major challenges in ensuring that the sport continues to grow, attract new audiences and remain competitive in an increasingly demanding global sporting landscape.
The central question is therefore not simply who will succeed Coe, but who has the stature, leadership skills, vision, knowledge and commitment to win the confidence of the Member Federations and lead one of the world’s major international sports federations into its next chapter.
Coe, the British double Olympic gold medallist, has successfully led the organization through three presidential terms, making the challenge facing his successor even greater.
The next presidency will require more than international recognition or a distinguished sporting career. It will demand an understanding of how athletics operates at every level, from national federations to continental associations and the global governing body, together with the ability to translate that experience into effective leadership.
The campaign period for the 2027 World Athletics elections began on 1 March 2026. Four prospective presidential contenders are already in the picture: Ximena Restrepo of Colombia, Raúl Chapado of Spain, Adille Sumariwalla of India and Antti Pihlakoski of Finland.
The nomination process remains open, but the requirements for candidates are substantial. Prospective candidates must apply to the independent Vetting Panel by 31 March 2027 and be declared eligible before receiving a formal nomination from their Member Federation. The deadline for submitting nominations is 1 June 2027, ahead of the Elective Congress scheduled for 9 September 2027 in Beijing, immediately before the World Athletics Championships, which will take place from 10 to 19 September.
The preparation required means that serious contenders must plan well in advance. While the official process will confirm the final list, the four names already in circulation offer an interesting starting point for examining the race.
But who are these four figures, what do they represent, and what experience would they bring to the presidency?
In this first article, SportsIn looks at the facts: their current positions within World Athletics, their performance in the 2023 elections, and their backgrounds as athletes. In the coming months, we will examine their leadership records, programs, ideas and views in greater detail.
Four contenders, four different profiles
The four prospective contenders currently hold different positions within World Athletics. Restrepo is Senior Vice President, while Chapado and Sumariwalla are Vice Presidents. Pihlakoski serves on the World Athletics Council.
All four also share a background in competitive athletics, although their sporting achievements differ considerably.
Their administrative experience also reflects different paths into international sports leadership, ranging from Olympic achievement and major-event management to national federation governance and international institutional responsibilities.
Ximena Restrepo — Colombia
Restrepo is the most senior of the four within World Athletics, serving as Senior Vice President. A former elite sprinter, she made history at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games by winning bronze in the women’s 400 meters, becoming the first Colombian athlete to win an Olympic medal in athletics.
She competed at four Olympic Games: Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000.
Her other notable achievements include a bronze medal in the 4 × 400 meters relay at the 1992 IAAF World Cup in Havana and two silver medals in the 200 and 400 meters at the 1991 Pan American Games, also held in Havana.
Her career also included medals over 200 meters, 400 meters and 4 × 100 meters at South American Games (two golds), Central American and Caribbean Games (two silvers and one bronze), and South American Championships (four golds and two silvers).
Following her competitive career, Restrepo coached young athletes. From 2020 to 2023, she served as Sports Director for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.
In the 2023 World Athletics elections, Restrepo received 154 votes in the first ballot, defeating Abby Hoffman for the single Vice President position reserved for a woman. This was a separate vote from the subsequent ballot for the three remaining Vice President positions. In 2025, she was also elected to the ASOIF Executive Board, succeeding Sebastian Coe.
Her profile combines Olympic distinction, senior international responsibilities and experience in major sporting events. Her position as Senior Vice President gives her a prominent place within the current leadership structure, although the 2027 presidential contest will require candidates to demonstrate how they intend to lead the organization beyond the existing administration.
Raúl Chapado — Spain
Chapado is a World Athletics Vice President and President of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation. Before moving into sports administration, he competed internationally in the triple jump.
He represented Spain at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games but did not record a valid mark in the qualifying round. One of his strongest international performances came at the 1998 European Indoor Championships in Valencia, where he finished fifth in the triple jump with a mark of 16.87 meters, which remains his personal best.
Beyond his athletics career, Chapado was also involved in Madrid’s bids to host the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games.
His administrative profile is particularly relevant to the demands of the World Athletics presidency. As President of the Spanish federation and a World Athletics Vice President, Chapado has experience at both national and international levels, combining the responsibilities of managing a Member Federation with participation in the sport’s global governance.
Chapado has also chaired the World Athletics Competition Commission, adding another dimension to his international administrative experience. The role has involved work on competition formats, innovation and the future presentation of athletics — issues likely to feature prominently in the debate over the sport’s next chapter.
This combination provides a useful perspective on the relationship between World Athletics and its Member Federations, particularly at a time when international sports organisations face growing expectations concerning governance, development, financial sustainability and the commercial future of their sports.
Chapado received 119 votes in the second ballot of the 2023 World Athletics Vice President elections, the highest total among the seven candidates competing for the three remaining positions. This ballot took place after Restrepo had been elected in the separate vote for the female Vice President position.
His experience across different levels of athletics administration makes him an important figure in the developing presidential discussion. Whether that experience translates into broader support will depend on the programme he presents and his ability to address the priorities of Member Federations across all continents.
Adille Sumariwalla — India
Sumariwalla is a World Athletics Vice President and former President of the Athletics Federation of India. His international athletic career included representing India in the men’s 100 meters at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.
He recorded 11.04 seconds in the qualifying round but did not advance to the next round. This was also his personal best over 100 meters.
Beyond his athletic career, Sumariwalla has built extensive experience in sports administration and the media and entertainment industry. He also served as acting President of the Indian Olympic Association for several months in 2022.
In the 2023 elections, he received 115 votes in the second ballot, finishing behind Chapado and securing one of the three remaining Vice President positions.
His background brings together national federation leadership, international sports administration and experience beyond the traditional sporting environment. His potential candidacy will be assessed against the same questions facing the other contenders: the future development of athletics, the needs of Member Federations and the direction of World Athletics after Coe.
Antti Pihlakoski — Finland
Pihlakoski has been a member of the World Athletics Council since 2015 and has held senior positions in European and Finnish athletics administration for many years. An experienced sports administrator, he has also played a leading role in major sporting events, including the 2005 World Athletics Championships in Helsinki.
As an athlete, he competed at national level in middle-distance running, specializing in the 800 meters. His personal sporting record included a bronze medal at the Finnish national championships, with a reported time of 1:50.3.
Pihlakoski also stood for a Vice President position in 2023, competing in the second ballot for the three remaining seats, but was not elected. He was, however, subsequently elected as an individual member of the World Athletics Council.
His experience in European and international athletics administration provides another perspective on the future leadership of the organization, particularly in relation to institutional continuity, governance and the organization of major events.
The 2023 elections: understanding the two ballots
The 2023 elections provide an important reference point for understanding the current leadership landscape, but the voting procedure is essential to interpreting the results correctly.
Under the World Athletics Constitution, the Vice President elections were conducted in two stages. The first ballot was contested exclusively by Ximena Restrepo and Abby Hoffman for a single position reserved for a woman. Restrepo won that vote with 154 votes.
A second ballot was then held for the three remaining Vice President positions. Seven candidates competed: the six men standing for election and Hoffman, who had not been elected in the first ballot.
Chapado led this second vote with 119 votes, followed by Sumariwalla with 115 and Jackson Tuwei of Kenya with 104. Those three candidates secured the remaining Vice President positions.
They finished ahead of Geoff Gardner, who received 96 votes; Hoffman, with 88; Pihlakoski, with 54; and Prince Nawaf Al Saud, with 46. Pihlakoski and Hoffman were subsequently elected as individual members of the World Athletics Council.
The distinction matters: Restrepo and Chapado did not compete against each other in the same ballot. Restrepo won the separate contest for the female Vice President position, while Chapado received the highest number of votes in the subsequent seven-candidate ballot. Their totals should therefore not be presented as a single ranking of support across all Vice President candidates.
These results offer a snapshot of the support candidates attracted within their respective contests. They should not, however, be interpreted as a prediction of the 2027 presidential outcome.
The political landscape can change significantly over four years, and the presidential election will be shaped by the candidates’ programs, relationships, priorities, and ability to build support across the global athletics community.
The 2023 vote also highlights an important distinction between electoral support for a Vice President position and the broader leadership mandate required of a President. The next election will involve different responsibilities, expectations, and strategic choices.
Restrepo enters the discussion as Senior Vice President and the winner of the 2023 female Vice President ballot. Chapado brings the strongest result from the second ballot, alongside his experience as a national federation president, international executive and chair of the Competition Commission. Sumariwalla and Pihlakoski offer their own records of institutional involvement and experience.
The question is how each prospective contender intends to use that experience to respond to the challenges ahead.
Beyond Coe: what kind of leadership does World Athletics need?
The succession will take place at a time when international athletics faces several important challenges.
The sport must continue to strengthen its global appeal, develop new audiences, improve opportunities for athletes and ensure that Member Federations remain central to its future.
Commercial development, financial sustainability, innovation, competition formats and the relationship between the international federation and its national members will all form part of the debate.
For the next President, the challenge will be to combine the international authority expected of a major Olympic federation leader with the practical understanding required to respond to the different realities of Member Federations around the world.
That balance between global leadership and national federation experience may become one of the campaign’s defining questions.
The four prospective contenders approach that challenge from different backgrounds. Their programs and proposals, rather than their current titles alone, will ultimately provide the clearest basis for comparison.
With the succession race now under way, the focus will increasingly turn to what each contender wants to achieve and how they intend to lead the sport beyond the Coe era.
In the months ahead, SportsIn will take a closer look at each contender, examining their experience, priorities, and vision for athletics’ future.
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