Sebastian Coe has given his clearest signal yet that he plans to run for the job as International Olympic Committee president when Thomas Bach steps down next year.
Many had expected Bach to change the Olympic charter to allow himself to keep on governing beyond the IOC’s 12-year limit. But on Saturday the German confirmed he would step down next June, saying “new times are calling for new leaders”.
Under the IOC’s rules, no candidate can declare for the job until three months before the election, which will take place in March. Lord Coe, though, said he was interested when asked whether he would stand.
“I have always made it clear that if the opportunity arose, then I would obviously give it serious thought,” Coe said. “The opportunity has arisen and clearly I need to think about it. I would consider it.”
Coe, who won two Olympic gold medals over 1500m and two silvers at 800m before running the London 2012 Games and becoming the president of World Athletics, then laid out his credentials. “I have been involved in the Olympic movement for the larger part of my life,” he said.
“I have chaired an Olympic Games from bid to delivery and two years of legacy after that. I have been privileged to compete in two Olympic Games.
“I have chaired a national Olympic committee, and I now have the best job in the world as president of the number-one Olympic sport.
“These are experiences that if you put together, as well as other aspects of my life, I think would be beneficial to the role.”
However, Coe also urged others to consider standing for election too, so that the 115 IOC members would have a wide range of candidates to choose from. “There are other potential candidates with qualifications for the role,” he said.
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“And if you believe in good governance and you believe in change, I would encourage others. I believe that choice is important and I think the membership needs to have a good range of qualified people to look at.”
Coe, 67, was also asked about the controversy in the women’s boxing tournament at the Games and said the IOC’s policy needed to be clearer and that biology had to be the most important factor. “You have to have a policy and it has to be clearly communicated. And you’re never going to satisfy everybody. But the reality for me is very simple.
“I have a responsibility to preserve the female category. And I will go on doing that until a successor decides otherwise or the science alters.”