© Copyright – 2020 – Athletics Illustrated
The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach has announced that he will run for re-election at next year’s 137th IOC Session. He has been the president since 2013.
The anticipated announcement was made during his speech at a virtual IOC Session on Friday.
“If you, the IOC members want, I am ready to run for a second term as IOC President, and to continue to serve you and this Olympic Movement which we all love so much,” Bach said.
“I take your support more as an encouragement for the future to work even harder,” Bach added.
SHOESTRINGS: World Athletics President Sebastian Coe is now an IOC member. Along with four other new members, ex-Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud – Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States – Cuban Olympic Committee (COC) Board member Maria de la Caridad Colón Ruenes and Battushig Batbold, Acting President of the Mongolian National Olympic Committee.
There are now 105 IOC members.
Coe gained 77 yes votes and eight no votes.
He had to agree to move from being a managing director of CSM Sport & Entertainment. The IOC Ethics Commission said that the new role conflicts with the sports agency.
The Executive Committee of the crisis-stricken Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) is not planing to hold an urgent election to select a new President.
The Russian Debacle
Days after Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) President Yevgeny Yurchenko resigned, Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that the Executive Committee feels that it is not in its best interests to hold an extraordinary elective conference at present.
First vice-President Alexei Plotnikov will be acting president going forward.
TASS quotes RusAF press attaché Natalia Yukhareva said, “At the moment, the presidium of the federation does not consider it necessary or advisable to decide on holding an extraordinary election conference, work continues as usual.
