Will Sebastian Coe be elected to ‘most powerful position’ in sport as president of International Olympic Committee?

Sebastian Coe delivered the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, restructured and reinvigorated athletics’ ailing governing body, took on Russian state doping cheats and on Thursday hopes to be elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

It is a role viewed as the most powerful in sport, a role that not only shapes the future of many sports, but impacts geopolitics and influences presidents and prime ministers.

Coe’s manifesto is out there for all to see, we have covered it and those of the other candidates as well. Of the seven candidates, three are viewed as the front-runners – Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, Spain’s Juan Antonio Samaranch and Coe.

Coe is publicly the most well known and most charismatic. A two-time Olympic gold medallist and the deliverer of the London 2012 Games. As president of World Athletics he has not shied away from a fight with Russian dopers and, agree or not, he has an unambiguous position on the divisive issue of transgender participation in elite sport.

With just a few days until 109 IOC members decide who will succeed Thomas Bach at a vote not too far from Athens – the birthplace of the modern Olympics – Coe knows if he is successful in becoming just the 10th IOC president – away from his manifesto pledges – he will have some pressing issues to deal with.

Trump, Musk, and Zuckerberg….

The USA will host the two biggest sporting events on the planet over the course of the next three years. In 2026 the USA will be the dominant host of the FIFA 2026 Men’s World Cup and then in 2028 Los Angeles will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

That means working with US president Donald Trump. Trump has his views and has already committed to executive orders that do not necessarily align with many Olympic and sporting values, but Coe says he is not “overawed” by Trump.

“This is not alien territory,” he said. “For many, many years, running into decades now, I’ve worked closely with world leaders, some of them in my political career, some in my career during the London Games. Bringing a full house of countries to London when our own foreign policy wasn’t the most popular foreign policy in the world at the time, took some leadership and took some understanding that you can only confront what you can confront.

“I know Donald Trump will want an outstanding Games in exactly the same way as in 1984 when I competed in my second Olympic Games, Ronald Reagan came to the table in exactly the same way.

“I have those sorts of discussions all the time with world leaders and it won’t be any different if I get across the line, it’s a landscape I’m very, very familiar with. I don’t get overawed by very much, but I also know that I have an ability to collaborate and make things work.”

As FIFA president Gianni Infantino has met with Trump, Coe is in no doubt that collaborating is the best way for the IOC.

While remaining respectful, Coe intends to discuss candidly with two Trump allies – Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg about the abuse prevailing on their social media platforms (X and Meta).

He described those who post sexist, misogynistic, homophobic and racist remarks as ‘pond life’; “I did describe them in that way. And I’m not ashamed to say so and I’m absolutely happy to reinforce my views.

“I’ve spoken to so many female athletes in our sport, who are now routinely being abused online in the most grotesque way and we cannot have a generation of women, girls coming into our sport thinking this is part and parcel of becoming an international athlete.

“We shouldn’t just be sitting there pretending it’s not happening. And if I’m in a position of influence, I will have those discussions, absolutely.”

But they will be in a respectful way.

Boxing has an Olympic future

Boxing proved to be the most controversial sport in and out of the ring at the Paris Olympics. So badly run has been boxing, its governing body – the IBA – was banned from organising the past two Olympic Games tournaments at Tokyo and Paris with the sport placed in special measures and run by the IOC.

But the IOC will not do it for a third Games at LA – the message, ‘get your house in order or you’re out’.

With World Boxing on the verge of being the viable alternative to the IBA, Coe knows the value of the sport to the Olympics.

“Boxing absolutely has a future in the Olympic Games… I was on the British Boxing Board of Control for six years, it’s a sport I not only understand, I’ve actually served in. And it is very important,” said.

“And if you look at the history of the Olympic movement, whether it’s the professional boxers that have emerged from the Olympic circuit, you know, Muhammad Ali is clearly the obvious example… and now the role and the presence of our female boxers which is a really important element of our sport. Yes, of course, boxing must have an Olympic future.”

Backed by Usain Bolt, Sir Mo Farah… but does that matter?

The vote to become the next IOC president comes down to the decisions of 109 IOC members. The political, national interests and personalities and alliances may sway a vote here or there. One thing is clear, most sportsmen and sportswomen do not get a say on this vote.

In recent days and weeks, though, all candidates have been doing their level best to garner support from whichever source, and for Seb Coe that has seen some of the greatest sports stars out there back the Briton.

The fastest person on the planet, Usain Bolt, is behind Coe as is four-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Mo Farah, while the current star of track and field, 25-year- old Swedish pole-vaulter Mondo Duplantis, described Coe as “one of us”.

It will not ensure one vote for Coe though, but celebrity star backing may have an influence; “I’m very touched and look we all consider our sports to be our families.

“They’re an extended family for me. I’ve watched many of them come through the sport as promising youth athletes, the junior ranks, then distinguishing themselves in the senior ranks. I’m very touched that they would have done that.

“I hope it shows that there is sporting support. And look, a large part of what I’ve stood for is for the International Olympic Committee to recognise that it is primarily a sporting organisation.”

IOC biggest job ever?

To coin a racing metaphor much heard at the Cheltenham Festival last week, the IOC presidential election is over the last fence and into its final furlong. While all candidates, including Coe, have described the enormity of being ‘president’ it is perhaps surprising that Coe has not committed (yet) to saying to it would be the pinnacle of his albeit pretty successful career to date.

Asked what has been his greatest achievement, he replied: “London (2012 Olympics and Paralympics) was a huge moment for me. I’m not saying it’s going to be bigger or less important than the Olympic movement, but London was huge for me.

“So, look I know that Thursday is serious and really important and I want to make a contribution, but if I look back on my life with a little bit of pride on occasions, then I have to say being part of that leadership team and a whole nation behind the concept of an Olympic Games in London will take some beating.”