A new president of the International Olympic Committee will be elected on Thursday, marking only the 10th leader in its 131-year history. The election is considered one of the most open Olympic elections in decades, with seven candidates vying for the position. The winner will receive an eight-year mandate and will be tasked with guiding the Olympics toward the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles and selecting a host for the 2036 edition, which could be in India or the Middle East for the first time.
The leading candidates in the election include Juan Antonio Samaranch, Sebastian Coe, and Kirsty Coventry. Coventry, a two-time Olympic gold medalist from Zimbabwe, could make history as the first woman and African to lead the IOC. The outgoing president, Thomas Bach, has been praised for his leadership and will be leaving the IOC on Olympic Day, June 23, after serving the maximum 12 years in office.
Bach’s legacy includes a financially secure IOC poised to earn more than $8 billion in revenue through the 2028 LA Olympics and a focus on gender parity. The next president will also have the responsibility of selecting hosts for future Olympics, including the 2036 Summer Games.
The exclusive club of IOC voters, which includes royal family members, former lawmakers, business leaders, and Olympic athletes, will cast their votes on Thursday without hearing further presentations from the candidates. The election is expected to be decided based on a discreet network of friendships and alliances within the organization.
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