A letter of intended clarification, dated Sept. 9, 2024, and titled “Directives Concerning the Election of the IOC President,” was sent by the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) ethics commission to the 111 members, including several candidates to succeed the current IOC President, Thomas Bach, next year. The letter was signed by Chairman Ban Ki Moon, the former United Nations Secretary General. Sebastian Coe, the 67-year-old President of World Athletics, and IOC Vice President Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr, the 64-year-old son of the late former IOC chief, are two of potential candidates for the top job at the IOC. Still, they could both come across normative roadblocks due to the standard age limit of 70 for members.
The election is scheduled for March 2025. The winning candidate must be a member of the IOC on election day “and during the entire duration of their term as IOC President,” recalls the two-page letter. The rules do not pose an immediate problem for them to run for the IOC presidency. However, both Coe and Samaranch, if elected, would exceed the age limit during their first years in office, unless a special exemption is granted by the governing body. A full first IOC presidential mandate lasts for eight years, renewable once for an additional four-year period.
The IOC will unveil the list of eligible candidates on Sept. 16. The new president will be elected by IOC members in March at a session in ancient Olympia, Greece, and will take over in June to ensure a smooth transition.
