IOC presidential elections: Sebastian Coe and rivals target highest office in sport
It is a big day in the sporting boardroom and backstage hustling department, with Thomas Bach stepping down as president of the International Olympic Committee after 12 years (and taking on the new role of Honorary President for Life: 'When I was elected as President 12 years ago, my first words were 'ouf', and it's the same now,' he said in response) and thus forcing them to find someone to replace him. Today we find out who that person will be.
There are seven candidates. All of them have published lengthy candidature documents, translated into several languages, which you can find via their individual pages on the IOC website, or from here. They are also profiled more succinctly at insidethegames here. But in very brief, they are:
HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein Jordanian royal, president of the Jordanian Olympic Committee, long-time IOC member and former commander in the Royal Jordanian Air Force.
David Lappartient French president of the UCI, world cycling's governing body.
Johan Eliasch Swedish-born, British-based billionaire businessman (he officially represents Great Britain on the IOC). President of the FIS, governing body of skiing and snowboarding. Chair of the sports equipment company Head, and former deputy treasurer of the Conservative Party.
Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr Spanish son of the former IOC president of the same name.
Kirsty Coventry The only woman on the shortlist. Zimbabwean retired swimmer (she won Olympic gold in 2004 and 2008) and the country's current minister of sport, arts and recreation.
Sebastian Coe British former athlete, former Conservative MP, life peer, president of the London 2012 Olympic organising committee, former president of the British Olympic Association and president of World Athletics since 2015, reelected for a third and final term in 2023.
Morinare Watanabe Japanese president of the FIG, the International Gymnastics Federation. The rules of the game
This is pretty simple. At around 2pm GMT a secret ballot of all IOC members (there are currently 109 of them, including all seven candidates, though only 106 have turned up) will take place. Those standing for election, and their compatriots, are not allowed to vote until they or their compatriot are eliminated (though other associates of individual candidates are allowed to vote for them – controversially Samaranch's family foundation is based in China and has two Chinese IOC members on the board). To be elected a candidate needs to win a simple majority of all votes cast. If nobody obtains a majority of the votes, whichever candidate has the fewest votes will be eliminated and a fresh round of voting will be held, and the process will be repeated until someone gets a majority.
If no candidate wins a majority the precise number of votes cast for each candidate in each round of voting will not immediately be made public, but if the two worst-performing candidates have the same number of votes there will be a head-to-head elimination vote-off, and if they also get the same number of votes in that the IOC president himself will decide which of them gets the boot. This is vanishingly unlikely but would be quite fun. As soon as someone is elected the full results of each round of voting will be published.
And that's it. Strap yourselves in, let's see what gets served up! Share
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rhyl Journal
33 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
SNP calls on Labour to match Scottish Government action on poverty
Ahead of the UK spending review, the SNP asked the House of Commons Library to produce an independent analysis on the number of British children in poverty and the impact that replicating Scottish Government policies across the UK would have. The research showed 1.83 million families would be lifted out of poverty if policies were matched, including abolishing the two-child benefit cap, scrapping the bedroom tax and raising the child element of Universal Credit to match the Scottish child payment, according to the SNP. Statistics showed a third of British children were anticipated to be living in poverty by 2029-30 unless action was taken. Sir Keir Starmer was urged to act on the figures ahead of the UK spending review on Wednesday amid warnings the number of British children living in poverty is expected to rise to a record 4.6 million by 2029-30. Over the past decade, the number of children living in poverty has risen from 3.7 million (27%) in 2013/14 to 4.5 million (31%) in 2023/24, the SNP said. The SNP said Scotland is the only part of the UK where child poverty is falling, due to 'bold' policies such as the Scottish child payment of £27.15 per child, per week, paid in addition to other benefits. Replicating it UK-wide, by raising the child element of Universal Credit by the same amount, would lift 732,000 families out of poverty, including a further 38,000 families in Scotland, analysis showed. The SNP said it has also mitigated the bedroom tax and is in the process of ending the two-child benefit cap in Scotland. It said replicating the policies would lift a further 609,000 British families out of poverty, with the combined impact of introducing all three policies lifting 1.83 million families out of poverty, including a further 75,000 in Scotland. The UK Government delayed its child poverty taskforce review to the autumn and last year Labour MPs voted against abolishing the two-child benefit cap, in a motion tabled by the SNP. The Chancellor has previously rejected proposals to abolish the bedroom tax. The SNP said the UK Government's own impact analysis showed planned cuts to disability benefits will push 250,000 more people into poverty, including 50,000 children, with families losing out on £4,500 a year on average as a result of the cuts, branding it 'shameful'. SNP work and pensions spokeswoman Kirsty Blackman MP said: 'The evidence shows Keir Starmer's Labour Government is keeping almost two million families in poverty by failing to match SNP action across the UK. 'It's shameful that UK child poverty is rising to record levels under the Labour Government, which has pushed thousands more children into deprivation by imposing punitive welfare cuts. 'It's vital that the Prime Minister finally listens to families struggling with the soaring cost of living – and takes the long-overdue action needed to end child poverty at the UK spending review this week. 'That means abandoning the devastating austerity cuts to disabled families, matching the Scottish child payment UK-wide, abolishing the bedroom tax and scrapping the two-child limit and benefit cap. 'With 4.5 million children living in poverty in the UK, only bold and immediate action will do. 'The two-child benefit cap and bedroom tax must be abolished immediately, but that alone isn't enough to end child poverty. It's vital the Labour Government matches the Scottish child payment by raising the child element of Universal Credit across the UK. 'Scotland is the only part of the UK where child poverty is falling – and families receive the best cost-of-living help of anywhere in the UK. 'Westminster must match this action – or it will leave millions more children languishing in poverty.' A UK Government spokesperson said: 'We are determined to bring down child poverty and we have already expanded free breakfast clubs, increased the national minimum wage for those on the lowest incomes, uprated benefits in April and supported 700,000 of the poorest families by introducing a fair repayment rate on universal credit deductions. 'We will also publish an ambitious child poverty strategy later this year to ensure we deliver fully funded measures that tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty across the country.'
South Wales Guardian
34 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
SNP calls on Labour to match Scottish Government action on poverty
Ahead of the UK spending review, the SNP asked the House of Commons Library to produce an independent analysis on the number of British children in poverty and the impact that replicating Scottish Government policies across the UK would have. The research showed 1.83 million families would be lifted out of poverty if policies were matched, including abolishing the two-child benefit cap, scrapping the bedroom tax and raising the child element of Universal Credit to match the Scottish child payment, according to the SNP. Statistics showed a third of British children were anticipated to be living in poverty by 2029-30 unless action was taken. Sir Keir Starmer was urged to act on the figures ahead of the UK spending review on Wednesday amid warnings the number of British children living in poverty is expected to rise to a record 4.6 million by 2029-30. Over the past decade, the number of children living in poverty has risen from 3.7 million (27%) in 2013/14 to 4.5 million (31%) in 2023/24, the SNP said. The SNP said Scotland is the only part of the UK where child poverty is falling, due to 'bold' policies such as the Scottish child payment of £27.15 per child, per week, paid in addition to other benefits. Replicating it UK-wide, by raising the child element of Universal Credit by the same amount, would lift 732,000 families out of poverty, including a further 38,000 families in Scotland, analysis showed. The SNP said it has also mitigated the bedroom tax and is in the process of ending the two-child benefit cap in Scotland. It said replicating the policies would lift a further 609,000 British families out of poverty, with the combined impact of introducing all three policies lifting 1.83 million families out of poverty, including a further 75,000 in Scotland. The UK Government delayed its child poverty taskforce review to the autumn and last year Labour MPs voted against abolishing the two-child benefit cap, in a motion tabled by the SNP. The Chancellor has previously rejected proposals to abolish the bedroom tax. The SNP said the UK Government's own impact analysis showed planned cuts to disability benefits will push 250,000 more people into poverty, including 50,000 children, with families losing out on £4,500 a year on average as a result of the cuts, branding it 'shameful'. SNP work and pensions spokeswoman Kirsty Blackman MP said: 'The evidence shows Keir Starmer's Labour Government is keeping almost two million families in poverty by failing to match SNP action across the UK. 'It's shameful that UK child poverty is rising to record levels under the Labour Government, which has pushed thousands more children into deprivation by imposing punitive welfare cuts. 'It's vital that the Prime Minister finally listens to families struggling with the soaring cost of living – and takes the long-overdue action needed to end child poverty at the UK spending review this week. 'That means abandoning the devastating austerity cuts to disabled families, matching the Scottish child payment UK-wide, abolishing the bedroom tax and scrapping the two-child limit and benefit cap. 'With 4.5 million children living in poverty in the UK, only bold and immediate action will do. 'The two-child benefit cap and bedroom tax must be abolished immediately, but that alone isn't enough to end child poverty. It's vital the Labour Government matches the Scottish child payment by raising the child element of Universal Credit across the UK. 'Scotland is the only part of the UK where child poverty is falling – and families receive the best cost-of-living help of anywhere in the UK. 'Westminster must match this action – or it will leave millions more children languishing in poverty.' A UK Government spokesperson said: 'We are determined to bring down child poverty and we have already expanded free breakfast clubs, increased the national minimum wage for those on the lowest incomes, uprated benefits in April and supported 700,000 of the poorest families by introducing a fair repayment rate on universal credit deductions. 'We will also publish an ambitious child poverty strategy later this year to ensure we deliver fully funded measures that tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty across the country.'
South Wales Guardian
34 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Emma Raducanu feeling ‘pretty good' as she steps up Wimbledon preparations
The 2021 US Open champion, who suffered a second-round exit to Iga Swiatek at the French Open, has been hindered by persistent spasming for much of 2025. She is set to play at Queens this week, with grand slam action at the All England Club scheduled to start on Monday, June 30. 'I got back (from Paris) last week and then I got straight back on the court,' Raducanu told a press conference. 'I had a small interruption with a bit of a back spasm again, which was a bit annoying and that hindered my grass prep. But the last few days I have managed to get on the grass. 'I can't really predict the future. I know I have been managing my back for the last few weeks now and it's something that comes and goes. 'It can be frustrating. I try not to let it get to me because I have a pretty good feel when it happens of how to manage it. All I can do is deal with what's in front of me 'Today was the first day I opened it up and played points on the grass. It is pretty early days and I can't say I have had a lot of prep on it. But I felt pretty good today.' British number two Raducanu, who is ranked 41st in the world, was dismantled 6-1 6-2 by reigning champion Swiatek at Roland Garros. Subject to overcoming a qualifier, she could face current Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in the second round at Queens, while she is set to pair up with British number one Katie Boulter in the doubles. 'Playing a doubles match with Katie will hopefully give me a good feel for that surface and it will be positive,' the 22-year-old said. 'I really like playing with Katie. We've practised a few times together in the past at Billie Jean King Cup ties.'
