Johan Eliasch, the current President of the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS), has announced his candidacy for the Presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Despite being considered a dark horse in the race, Eliasch, a Swedish former CEO of Head, is already an IOC member.
The front-runner to succeed Thomas Bach as the IOC President is Sebastian Coe from Great Britain. Coe, who currently serves as the chairman of World Athletics, has a strong Olympic background. However, the outcome of the election is still uncertain, with six other candidates in the running:
– Kirsty Coventry from Zimbabwe
– Juan Antonio Samaranch from Spain
– Prince Feisal Al Hussein from Jordan
– David Lapparient from France
– Morinari Watanabe from Japan
– Johan Eliasch from Sweden
Thomas Bach will remain in his position until June 24, 2025, to ensure a smooth transition of power. The candidates will have the opportunity to present their programs to the full IOC membership in a meeting scheduled for January 2025 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The election of the new IOC President is set to take place during the organization’s 143rd Session in Greece from March 18 to 21, 2025.
It is worth noting that throughout its 130-year history, the IOC has only had male presidents, with none hailing from Africa, Asia, or Latin America. This upcoming election could potentially bring a significant change to the leadership of the IOC.
In other related news, the FIS, under Johan Eliasch’s leadership, has been focusing on sustainability initiatives and centralizing media and broadcasting rights. Eliasch’s nomination for the IOC Presidency adds another layer of interest to the upcoming election, as the world watches to see who will lead the prestigious international sports organization into the future.