Coe Promises Change as He Bids for IOC Presidency

Sebastian Coe, World Athletics chief and IOC presidential candidate, promises to increase member involvement and tap into the organization's vast talent pool if elected.

Sebastian Coe, the World Athletics chief and a candidate for president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has admitted that he should have handled the issue of prize money for Olympic champions differently. Coe's decision to offer prize money to Paris 2024 Olympic champions in athletics was made unilaterally by World Athletics, without consulting the IOC or other international sports federations.

The move angered the IOC and some federations, which opposed the decision, arguing that not all athletes would benefit from it. Coe acknowledged the controversy, saying, “We made the judgement about prize money because we felt it was in the best interest of our sport.” However, he also conceded that he should have handled the situation differently, stating, “In hindsight, I should have done it differently and I am ready to hold my hands up.”

Coe clarified that his apology was not for the prize money itself, but for the way it was handled. He explained, “I did apologise (to other Olympic sports federations). Not about the prize money ... but in hindsight I would have done it a different way.” World Athletics has since announced that it will offer prize money to all medallists in the sport at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Coe's comments came ahead of his 15-minute presentation to IOC members in Lausanne, where he is vying for the top job in world sport. The IOC will elect its new president on March 20th in Greece. Coe is facing stiff competition from other candidates, including Kirsty Coventry, Juan Antonio Samaranch, David Lappartient, Prince Feisal Al Hussein, Morinari Watanabe, and Johan Eliasch.

If elected, Coe has promised to involve IOC members more in the decision-making process, rather than relying solely on the powerful executive board. He aims to break away from the tradition established under current president Thomas Bach, where the executive board makes most key decisions, with members often rubber-stamping them. Under Bach's 12-year rule, all but one of the decisions were unanimous.

Sebastian Coe, the World Athletics chief, is facing stiff competition in his bid for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidency. His opponents include multiple Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwe's sports minister; Juan Antonio Samaranch, son of the late former IOC president; David Lappartient, international cycling chief; Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan; Morinari Watanabe, International Gymnastics Federation head; and Johan Eliasch, Olympic newcomer and multimillionaire who heads the International Ski Federation.

Coe has pledged to bring about change within the IOC, particularly in terms of member involvement. He criticized the current system, where the executive board makes most key decisions, with members simply rubber-stamping them. Under current president Thomas Bach's 12-year rule, all but one of the decisions were unanimous. Coe vowed to do things differently, saying, “Everywhere. Absolutely everywhere,” when asked where he would involve members. He also emphasized the need to tap into the vast talent pool within the IOC, stating, “At the moment we don't have the structures to get the best out of some very smart people.” Coe acknowledged that there are individuals within the IOC who are “far smarter” than him and deserve a greater voice.

"Are transgender athletes a threat to the female category?"

"At elite level, yes they are."

Sebastian Coe, frontrunner to be the next IOC president, tells DW how it's "clear-cut" that transgender athletes should not compete in elite women's sports. pic.twitter.com/GKavfI0pjL

— DW Sports (@dw_sports) January 30, 2025

Coe's research has shown that the IOC's 100-plus members include a diverse range of individuals, such as entrepreneurs, billionaires, athletes, and royalty. Specifically, 38% are Olympians, 33% have solid business careers, and 11% have held top government jobs in their countries. Coe believes that this talent is being underutilized, saying, “We are sitting there with an asset that I think is at best untapped, at worst neglected. No organisation can sit with that kind of talent on the backbenches.” If elected, Coe promises to harness this talent to bring about positive change within the IOC.