Sebastian Coe, a former double Olympic gold medalist at 1,500 meters who has held positions as president of the London 2012 Organizing Committee and of World Athletics, is one of the main candidates for the presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the elections scheduled for March 2025. With a long career both on and off the track, Coe has dedicated his life to sport, a commitment he now wants to take to the highest Olympic body. In a recent interview with SportsIn, Coe praised the job Thomas Bach is leaving and outlined his ideas, motivations and challenges he sees for the future of the Olympic Games, addressing issues ranging from athlete empowerment to his stance on inclusivity and transparency at the IOC.
The 68-year-old Briton is the oldest candidate in these elections, an aspect he defends as an advantage that brings wisdom and experience. Based on his vision, extensive experience and success wherever he has been, Coe is determined to modernize certain aspects of the Olympic movement, strengthen the IOC’s organizational structure and maintain the focus on sporting excellence, the values he considers fundamental to preserving the spirit of the Olympic Games. Below is a summary of the conclusions drawn from his answers:
1. Coe defends the experience and energy that age brings (despite IOC rules)
Coe argues that the IOC age limits, while respectable, are not appropriate in the context of such a global organization. He asserts that experience and leadership ability should not be linked to a number, but to the commitment, energy and knowledge that each candidate brings with him or her. For him, “age comes with experience,” and his background in Olympic sport, from his time as an athlete to his years in sports management, have given him a holistic perspective. Coe explains that Olympism has been a central part of his life since his youth, and while he has worked in a variety of areas, his passion for sport has not diminished. “I’m ready to put all that into practice as president,” he maintains, showing a clear conviction that his age is a strength and not an obstacle.
2. Empowering athletes, federations and national committees, key to IOC sustainability.
One of the highlights of his vision for the future is the empowerment of IOC members, athletes and federations. Coe argues that if these stakeholders are expected to take responsibility and actively contribute to the development of Olympism, they must be given a greater voice and involvement in decisions. He argues for the need to give them a “meaningful role” in building the future of the Olympic Games. For Coe, this is not only essential for the sustainability of the organization, but also to ensure the welfare of athletes, who should be able to focus on their performance without facing unfair financial burdens. In the long term, he wants the IOC and its Olympic Games to remain the most important sporting event in the world, promoting an experience that inspires future generations and attracts the attention of new fans.
3. Strong leadership on issues of equality, transparency and zero tolerance of doping.
Another aspect in which Coe makes his position clear is the protection of the women’s category in sport, and he is firm in maintaining its integrity. According to him, inclusion must be aligned with sports justice, so he defends the need for clear regulations to avoid confusion among the different actors in the Olympic movement. As for doping, Coe, who has implemented a zero-tolerance approach in World Athletics, believes that this principle should apply to all Olympic disciplines. He proposes to intensify controls based on “intelligence and analysis,” convinced that the credibility of the IOC depends on its transparency and its ability to protect the health and well-being of athletes. In this regard, Coe emphasizes that the integrity of sport must be the priority at all times, and that the IOC must redouble its efforts to ensure that the Olympic spirit is not tarnished by the use of banned substances.
Ultimately, Sebastian Coe is confident in his experience in sports administration and his commitment to Olympic values. This driving force positions him as a strong candidate to lead the IOC, with a vision that seeks to include all stakeholders in the Olympic movement and put the focus on excellence and transparency. This is how Coe hopes to achieve an organization adapted to the needs of sport in the 21st century.
