The conclusion of the 144th IOC Session on Friday marked the commencement of a three-month transitional phase at the International Olympic Committee. This arrangement was proposed by departing President Thomas Bach to facilitate a seamless transfer of leadership. During a morning meeting over breakfast, he and his successor Kirsty Coventry discussed several crucial steps planned for this period.
“The transition will involve detailed presentations and discussions with each IOC department. All departmental directors have already made necessary preparations,” Bach explained during the final press conference at the Session in Costa Navarino, Greece. “It will include regular consultations with me – I’ll remain available for any queries. However, she will conduct independent discussions with departments and directors, without my presence, allowing her to guide these conversations as she sees fit. The aim is to foster completely open dialogue.
HER OPINION WILL PREVAIL
“Regarding the distribution of responsibilities, I have given her my assurance that from today onwards, no decisions will be made without her involvement. Should we hold differing views, her judgement will take precedence. These decisions must be hers to make, as she will be accountable for them from the 24th of June.
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
“To maximise efficiency, we have scheduled the first executive board meeting for the very first day of her tenure on the 24th of June. Prior to this, another executive board meeting is set for the 9th of April, which will be conducted remotely. However, we agreed this morning that she will attend in person to co-chair the meeting alongside me.”
The 144th IOC Session in Greece celebrated the accomplishments of Bach’s Olympic Agenda 2020 and 2020+5, emphasising the remarkable advancements achieved in areas such as gender equality, climate action, and various other initiatives during his 12-year leadership of the world’s most influential sporting organisation. However, the 71-year-old German lawyer emphasised on Friday that there remains substantial work ahead. “In the Olympic Movement, the mission is never complete.”
CHALLENGES
Coventry, as the IOC’s first female president, faces numerous challenges, from addressing gender eligibility concerns to navigating geopolitical complexities. With Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games approaching in less than a year, determining the status and potential reintegration of Russia into the Olympic community stands as a priority on her agenda. President Vladimir Putin has extended his “sincere congratulations to the new IOC president on her victory.” A statement from the Kremlin addressed to Coventry read, “The voting results definitively demonstrate your considerable standing in the sporting world and acknowledge your remarkable personal achievements.”
Amidst the ongoing climate crisis, another pivotal decision awaiting the 41-year-old Zimbabwean involves selecting a host for the 2036 Olympic Games. Bach has indicated that the global sports calendar will inevitably require modifications. “Certain regions of the world have already demonstrated that hosting the Summer Games in August is no longer feasible,” Bach noted. Regarding the Winter Olympics, he highlighted the significantly reduced pool of potential host nations, explaining that the IOC has secured some flexibility through the dual allocation of the 2030 and 2034 editions, whilst granting Switzerland preferential consideration for 2038. “Discussions encompassed both the rotation system and the potential separation of snow-based and ice-based sports within the Winter Games programme,” Bach elaborated.
Coventry’s official tenure commences on 24 June. Her initial eight-year term extends until 2033, with the possibility of a final four-year extension until 2037, at which point she would be merely 53 years old.
ENHANCED GAMES The fight against doping was on the front burner as the IOC Session in Greece came to a close on Friday, with the World Anti-Doping Agency wholeheartedly condemning the “Enhanced Games”, which poses a big threat to clean sport.
While addressing the Session on Friday, WADA President Witold Bańka described the disruptive initiative as both dangerous and irresponsible. “WADA wholeheartedly condemns it. The health and well-being of athletes is WADA’s number one priority. This event would jeopardise both,” he said. “Athletes serve as role models, and WADA believes this proposition would send the wrong signal to young people around the world.”
Founded by Australian businessman Aron D’Souza, the so-called Enhanced Games will have no drug testing and has put million-dollar bounties on world records.
WORLD ANTI-DOPING CODE Bańka’s presentation also included a comprehensive update on the activities of WADA’s Intelligence and Investigations department, which was created in 2017. “The results have gone far beyond our expectations”, Bańka explained. “It has led to more than 100 successful operations, the dismantling of 25 illicit laboratories, the seizure of 25 tonnes of Prohibited Enhancing Drugs (PEDs), the identification of 60 tonnes of PED trafficking through organised criminal network disruptions, and the removal of more than 500 million doses from the global market. Our work in this area is a fantastic development and a big win for clean sport.”
WADA is now moving forward with the creation of a Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network. “By 2029, WADA will have created the largest global network of investigators in the world, increasingly uncovering activities that threaten clean sport”, Bańka said, adding that WADA is also eyeing the finalisation of the new World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards, which will enter into force on 1 January 2027.
PARIS 2024 ITA Chair Dr Valérie Fourneyron also addressed the IOC Members on Friday, highlighting that the most rigorous clean sport programme ever was implemented at the Paris 2024 Games, where thanks to thorough pre-Games measures 90 per cent of athletes had been tested before they competed.
The ITA was established in 2018 with the support of USD 30 million in funding from the IOC. In June 2024, the IOC allocated a new USD 10 million fund to further support the development of the Agency over the next four years (2025-2028).
2027 IOC SESSION The IOC Session in 2027 will take place in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. This follows a vote by IOC Members during the 144th IOC Session held in Greece and it will be the first time the Dominican Republic will host this gathering. However, the Olympic Movement will be returning to the Caribbean 38 years after the 95th IOC Session in Puerto Rico in 1989.
In a video message the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, said: “On behalf of our entire country, it is an honour for us to have the opportunity to host the IOC Session in 2027 in Punta Cana – an event of great importance for the future of the Olympic Movement and the global development of sport.”
