Keith Joseph, president of the Caribbean Organization of National Olympic Committees (CANOC), has expressed his opinion on the legacy of Thomas Bach at the helm of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In a letter made public on Tuesday, he questioned whether the changes implemented during his mandate have had a significant impact on the Olympic Movement.
THOMAS BACH’S LEGACY
Following his election as IOC president in 2013, Joseph recalls that Thomas Bach presented Olympic Agenda 2020, a strategic plan that sought to modernize the Olympic Movement. During his presentation, Bach quoted Nelson Mandela’s words, “Sport has the power to change the world,” adding, “You can only inspire others to change if you are willing to change yourself.” Later, in 2020, Bach introduced Agenda 2020 + 5, which included 15 additional recommendations to the 40 in the original plan.
However, Joseph has pointed out that, despite these initiatives, the IOC remains a “very private” organization that exercises unilateral control over the Olympic Games and the International Olympic Movement. “The IOC has consolidated its leadership around an increasingly successful revenue generation model based on the Summer, Winter and Youth Olympic Games editions,” Joseph said. According to him, the success of the Games is measured primarily in terms of revenue growth, leaving aside other fundamental aspects.
AN AUTOCRATIC AND ELITIST ORGANIZATION
Joseph also criticized the IOC’s internal structure, describing it as “autocratic” and focused on benefiting its members. “The main beneficiaries of the existing changes remain the IOC members, a global elite that wields power over sport and justifies every decision and action they take,” he said.
In his opinion, the athletes, who are the protagonists of the Olympic Games, have no real role in decision-making. “They generate the economic benefits, but they are among those who benefit the least from the financial abundance that comes out of the Games,” he added.
LACK OF REPRESENTATION AND DEMOCRACY
Joseph also questioned the lack of equitable representation within the IOC, noting that the organization remains dominated by Europeans and that small, poor and developing nations are “severely underrepresented.” “Tokenism seems to be the option for some ethnic and racial groups, with little chance of change in the short term,” he said. According to Joseph, concepts such as democracy, inclusiveness and fair play, which are fundamental in society, are not fully implemented in the functioning of the IOC. “The more things seem to change, the more they stay the same,” he concluded.
IOC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
This week, the IOC will hold presidential elections, but Joseph stressed that these are not open to the entire International Olympic Movement, but only to privileged IOC members. “The process is controlled by an inner circle that decides who will lead the organization at each point in history,” he said.
Joseph also analyzed the proposals of the seven candidates for the presidency, describing them as “superficial adjustments” to the current system. “There is a constant fear of being perceived as too radical or revolutionary by the self-proclaimed guardians of the IOC’s traditions, history and legacy,” he said.
THE FUTURE OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT
Joseph concluded by noting that the world is undergoing rapid changes that are redefining sport and its role in future generations. “Sport as we know it is going through a kind of redefinition, and the outcome is, at this point, an unknown,” he stated. According to him, the IOC must adapt to these changes if it is to remain relevant in a constantly evolving sporting landscape.
