Re-elected head of the world athletics federation, Sebastian Coe considers the presence of Russians at the Paris Games "very unlikely"

This will be his third and final term as head of the international athletics federation, World athletics. Sebastian Coe was re-elected Thursday, August 16, as president of the body, for four additional years, at the 54th congress of the latter, in Budapest.

The 66-year-old Briton presented himself without opposition to his renewal, which comes two days before the start of the World Championships in the Hungarian capital. According to the statutes of World Athletics, he will not be able to run for a fourth term.

The double Olympic champion in the 1,500m (1980, 1984), former British Conservative MP and patron of the London 2012 Games, had recovered, in 2015, an international athletics federation plagued by corruption, in particular from the ex-president Lamine Diak.

“My first four years were dedicated to keeping the ship from sinking. We were in a very bad spot, Mr. Coe recalled. The next four were dedicated to Russia [target of a seven-year suspension for doping], to protect the female category [with a controversial regulation on athletes with differences in sexual development] and to highlight the meetings. The next four, I’m going to focus on the future of our sport for the next thirty, forty years. And to add: “I want to focus on the essence of the competitions, to make them interesting, expected, well paced and appealing to young people. »

“Very clear” position on Ukraine

His first two terms were marked by the creation in 2017 of the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), responsible in particular for the fight against doping, and by his intransigence towards Russia, first suspended for a scandal of doping and, since 2022, for the invasion of Ukraine.

Sebastian Coe again deemed “very unlikely” on Thursday the presence of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris Games in 2024, remaining on a firm position despite the opening requested by the International Olympic Committee.

“I continue to follow events in Ukraine, with a dedicated task force. Our position with the Council is very clear, for reasons of competition integrity. I would be very surprised if the new Council [elected on Thursday] changes its position, ”he insisted at a press conference after the World Athletics Congress.

The World Championships start on Saturday in Budapest. As was the case last year in Eugene (Oregon) no Russians or Belarusians will take part.