PARIS: World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said he would consider running for Thomas Bach’s job after the head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said he will not seek to stay on after his second term ends in 2025.

Bach has been in charge since 2013, while Coe, a two-time Olympic 1,500 metres champion and president of the 2012 London Olympics Organising Committee, has previously expressed his interest in the IOC position.

“I’ve always made it clear that if the opportunity arose, I would obviously give it serious thought,” Coe said at the presser on Sunday.

“The opportunity has arisen, and clearly I need to think about that.”

A new IOC president will be elected next March at the session at ancient Olympia and will take over in June, Bach said.

Coe said while his experience speaks for itself, there are plenty of qualified candidates.

“I have been involved in the Olympic movement for the larger part of my life. I’ve chaired an Olympic Games from bids through delivery and two years of legacy after that. I’ve been privileged to compete in two Olympics Games, and I’ve chaired a National Olympic Committee, and I now have the best job in the world, I’m president of the number one Olympic sport,” Coe said.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2024