The race to pick a new Olympic boss heats up next week. Seven people want Thomas Bach's job leading the International Olympic Committee. They all shared their ideas through press talks but stayed pretty safe on hot topics. Bach shocked everyone when he said at the Paris games he would step down after 12 years in charge.
These candidates will face votes on March 20 in Greece. The winner becomes the tenth IOC president and starts work next June. Each person brings different views on where Olympic sports should head in the coming years. The press chats showed they agree on some things but differ on others.
Most candidates talked big about their plans but gave few details when asked tough questions. They dodged deep answers about inclusion, wars affecting sports, and making the Olympics fit modern times. All seven seemed eager for more open talks and promised to make the IOC more democratic and listen to more voices.
Everyone agreed they must keep fighting against doping in sports. Kirsty Coventry, Johan Eliasch, and Prince Feisal said prevention matters as much as punishment. They all supported helping women gain equal power in sports leadership and want fair rules for transgender athletes that protect women's sports.
The group split on electronic sports. Eliasch and Sebastian Coe urged caution about adding them to the Olympics, while Prince Feisal seemed more open to them as a way to attract younger fans. Every candidate mentioned making sports more earth-friendly, though each stressed different parts of that challenge.
Coventry, the only woman running, keeps her views moderate. She believes sports groups should set their rules for transgender athletes but within a general framework. Watanabe dreams biggest - he wants Olympic events happening at the same time across five cities on five different continents.
Eliasch worries that climate change will hurt winter sports. He thinks artificial intelligence can help run future games better. Prince Feisal wants IOC members more involved in decisions instead of top-down control. He believes Africa and Latin America deserve fair chances to host the games.
Samaranch Jr. likes the current path but wants faster changes for digital needs. Lappartient hopes to create training centers in poorer regions and double the money for developing countries. Coe focuses on athlete welfare, including financial help during and after their careers. He supports giving cash prizes at the Olympics.
The winner will shape Olympic sports for years ahead. Some want huge changes, like spreading games across the globe, while others prefer careful updates to the current system. Despite their differences, all agree on clean competition, women's inclusion, and making Olympic sports available to more people everywhere.
These candidates will face votes on March 20 in Greece. The winner becomes the tenth IOC president and starts work next June. Each person brings different views on where Olympic sports should head in the coming years. The press chats showed they agree on some things but differ on others.
Most candidates talked big about their plans but gave few details when asked tough questions. They dodged deep answers about inclusion, wars affecting sports, and making the Olympics fit modern times. All seven seemed eager for more open talks and promised to make the IOC more democratic and listen to more voices.
Everyone agreed they must keep fighting against doping in sports. Kirsty Coventry, Johan Eliasch, and Prince Feisal said prevention matters as much as punishment. They all supported helping women gain equal power in sports leadership and want fair rules for transgender athletes that protect women's sports.
The group split on electronic sports. Eliasch and Sebastian Coe urged caution about adding them to the Olympics, while Prince Feisal seemed more open to them as a way to attract younger fans. Every candidate mentioned making sports more earth-friendly, though each stressed different parts of that challenge.
Coventry, the only woman running, keeps her views moderate. She believes sports groups should set their rules for transgender athletes but within a general framework. Watanabe dreams biggest - he wants Olympic events happening at the same time across five cities on five different continents.
Eliasch worries that climate change will hurt winter sports. He thinks artificial intelligence can help run future games better. Prince Feisal wants IOC members more involved in decisions instead of top-down control. He believes Africa and Latin America deserve fair chances to host the games.
Samaranch Jr. likes the current path but wants faster changes for digital needs. Lappartient hopes to create training centers in poorer regions and double the money for developing countries. Coe focuses on athlete welfare, including financial help during and after their careers. He supports giving cash prizes at the Olympics.
The winner will shape Olympic sports for years ahead. Some want huge changes, like spreading games across the globe, while others prefer careful updates to the current system. Despite their differences, all agree on clean competition, women's inclusion, and making Olympic sports available to more people everywhere.
