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≡ THE LAST ROUND STARTS ≡
There will be a new International Olympic Committee President elected on 20 March in Greece, who will take over on 24 June 2025, replacing two-term President Thomas Bach (GER).
The transition has begun, in a small way, with Bach speaking with The Associated Press and in an online media forum. Some highlights from his AP chat:
● “We have a new world order in the making, and this making … will not happen without rumbling,” Bach said, adding:
“I am also convinced that President Trump and his administration will fully support the Olympic Games.
“President Trump was already involved in his first term in the candidature of L.A. and was promoting L.A., and I don’t think that he has changed his mind there, because I also got to know him as a fan of a sport. He likes sport, so there I don’t see a risk.”
He also noted the U.S. is wild about sports, and “appreciate and love that the Games are about sport but they are about more than sport. They will want to welcome the athletes from all over the world.”
● On the discussions about transgenders in women’s sport, Bach jumped on the confusion created over Paris boxers Yu-ting Lin (TPE) and Imane Khelif (ALG), who won two of the women’s classes:
“This controversy about the boxing at the Paris Games is based on fake news, because it has been converted into a transgender discussion and it’s clearly no transgender issue.
“These two women boxers have been born as women, they have been raised as women, they have competed as women and nobody ever claimed even that they are transgender.
“What happened there was a Russian-led misinformation campaign which then distorted the truth, the facts, and now we have this unfortunate situation that these two athletes are considered to be transgender. But. They. Are. Not.”
● On the future of broadcasting and if the Olympic Games could simply become a streaming event:
“You can say of streaming, ‘They are paying such a lot of money, let’s go for streaming.’ But what does it mean for our values?
“The Olympic Games has to be accessible to everybody and not only the ones that can afford it.”
And Bach, 71, nearing the end of 12 years in which he has dealt with Russian doping, Covid-19, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and many other crises, is looking forward to some time off:
“I’m experiencing the first period during my presidency where I do not have an existential problem of the Olympic Games or the Olympic Movement on my desk. I’m fit and very happy, in great health.”
And starting on 24 June:
“The first four weeks I guess I will sleep. Then I will do a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela [in Spain] all alone and hope I get some inspiration then for my future.”
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In his media roundtable, Bach underscored the financial stability of the IOC, with $7.7 billion in revenue for 2021-24, and commitments of $7.4 billion already for 2025-28 and $6.5 billion for 2029-32. But he also noted that the nature of Olympic sponsorship is changing:
“We’re moving from a clean venue policy to a clean field of play policy.”
China is also playing an expanded role, with electronics giant TCL joining as a TOP sponsor. Bach observed:
“China is becoming an ever more important partner in the TOP partnerships. This reflects the development of the world economy. We see China arising, becoming ever more important in the world economy with a special focus on technology and green technology.
“This is well reflected in our new TOP partnership with TCL, our long-term partnership with Alibaba, and the partnership with Mengniu.”
He also express satisfaction with the provisional recognition of World Boxing, reinstating the sport onto the Olympic program for 2028:
“We are satisfied with World Boxing’s development. National Olympic Committees must refer to IOC-recognized federations to nominate athletes. Otherwise, it would be a pity for boxers.”
¶
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