Seven candidates in the IOC presidential election came to the most sacred Olympic site on Tuesday, two days before the contest to elect a new leader.
Rain at Ancient Olympia meant the ceremonial opening of the four-day meeting could not take place at the Temple of Hera where the Olympic flame is lit before each Summer Games and Winter Games edition. Thursday's election is at a high-end resort hotel by the Ionian Sea.
Instead, the candidates were joined under a nearby tented cover with all their colleagues in the 109-strong International Olympic Committee membership, which votes in perhaps the most discreet and opaquely campaigned of sports elections.
“Greece and Greek civilization have given the world two wonderful gifts — democracy and the Olympic Games,” said IOC President Thomas Bach, who has reached the maximum 12 years in office and formally leaves in June.
First African leader
The three strongest contenders seem to be Zimbabwe sports minister Kirsty Coventry, World Athletics leader Sebastian Coe and IOC vice president Juan Antonio Samaranch.
Kirsty Coventry won seven Olympic medals in swimming including gold medals at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Games.
Coventry would be the first woman and first African leader in the IOC’s 131-year history. She has long been seen as Bach’s favored successor, giving her a solid base of votes though likely not decisive in the first round of voting.
The winner of Thursday’s elections must get an absolute majority of votes. Until then, the candidate with the fewest votes in each round will be eliminated. The term of office is eight years.
Exclusive club
IOC voters invited into the exclusive club are a global mix of royal family members, former lawmakers and diplomats, business leaders, sports officials and Olympic athletes.
Challenges facing the next president include steering the Olympic movement toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, maintaining political balance with the United Nations and working with US President Donald Trump, as well as protecting women’s sports.
At Ancient Olympia, the games started more than 2,800 years ago in 776 B.C. They lapsed for centuries until being revived in 1896 by Pierre de Coubertin, whose heart is buried at the site.
On Tuesday, Bach explained why the IOC had come: “A sacred pilgrimage to our ancient past.
A homage to our modern origins and to our founder. And a manifestation of our faith in the future when we will elect a new president.”
The Greek head of state, President Constantine Tassoulas who was sworn in last week, suggested all future IOC presidential elections could be held at Ancient Olympia. After this week, the next one is scheduled in 2033.
