International Olympic Committee names Thomas Bach honorary president for life

On March 19, outgoing International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach was named honorary president for life, as he prepares to step down in June after 12 years at the helm of the global sports body.

The proposal was passed by acclamation at the IOC session in southern Greece, with a visibly emotional Bach receiving a standing ovation from members, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Bach, a German lawyer and former Olympic fencing champion, took office in 2013 and oversaw significant reforms aimed at making the Olympic Games more sustainable and appealing to potential host cities. Under his leadership, the IOC introduced cost-cutting measures and streamlined event organization.

His tenure, however, was marked by several challenges, including the Russian state-backed doping scandal surrounding the 2014 Sochi Winter Games. The scandal resulted in Russian athletes competing as neutrals in multiple Olympic editions. Bach also navigated political tensions on the Korean Peninsula before the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games and faced the unprecedented postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Beijing 2022 Winter Games were subsequently held without spectators due to ongoing pandemic restrictions.

The upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics will once again see Russian athletes competing under a neutral status following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a decision that has drawn controversy.

Bach, 71, will officially step down on June 23 and will also vacate his IOC membership post.

Seven candidates are in the race to succeed him, with IOC Vice President Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry, and World Athletics President Sebastian Coe of Britain emerging as frontrunners. Also in contention are International Cycling Union chief David Lappartient, International Gymnastics Federation head Morinari Watanabe, Jordan’s Prince Feisal Al Hussein, and Johan Eliasch, the multimillionaire president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation.

The election of the next IOC president is set to take place on March 20, shaping the future leadership of the Olympic movement.

By Khagan Isayev