The Olympics will soon have a new leader. In March, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will pick its next president. The voting will be in Greece from March 18 to 21.
This will be just the 10th IOC president since 1894. The leaders tend to serve for a long time. The first president was Demetrios Vikelas of Greece. But he only held the job briefly. Pierre de Coubertin of France really ran things. He took over as president after the first modern Olympics in 1896.
Seven people want the job of IOC president. Four of them currently lead important sports groups. Sebastian Coe of England runs track and field. David Lappartient of France heads cycling. Morinori Watanabe of Japan oversees gymnastics. Johan Eliasch of Sweden leads skiing and snowboarding.
Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe is also running. She won seven Olympic medals as a swimmer. She is now her country's sports minister. Feisal al Hussein of Jordan has been an IOC member since 2010. Juan Antonio Samaranch is in the race as well. His father was IOC president for 21 years. The younger Samaranch has long been active in the IOC.
The candidates must follow strict rules. They can share their ideas and do interviews, but they cannot buy ads or hold rallies. They also have to report their travel.
Many people are watching Samaranch. They wonder if he can be as good as his father. Coe is also seen as a top candidate. He was an Olympic running champion. He led the 2012 London Olympics. He is famous and likable.
But Coe also has a reputation for not always working well with others. Kirsty Coventry is another strong contender. The current IOC president likes her a lot. He thinks it is time for a woman to lead and wants someone from outside Europe.
The IOC has 111 voting members. In March, they will keep voting until someone wins. It is hard to know who will come out on top. But it will shape the future of the Olympics for years to come.
This will be just the 10th IOC president since 1894. The leaders tend to serve for a long time. The first president was Demetrios Vikelas of Greece. But he only held the job briefly. Pierre de Coubertin of France really ran things. He took over as president after the first modern Olympics in 1896.
Seven people want the job of IOC president. Four of them currently lead important sports groups. Sebastian Coe of England runs track and field. David Lappartient of France heads cycling. Morinori Watanabe of Japan oversees gymnastics. Johan Eliasch of Sweden leads skiing and snowboarding.
Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe is also running. She won seven Olympic medals as a swimmer. She is now her country's sports minister. Feisal al Hussein of Jordan has been an IOC member since 2010. Juan Antonio Samaranch is in the race as well. His father was IOC president for 21 years. The younger Samaranch has long been active in the IOC.
The candidates must follow strict rules. They can share their ideas and do interviews, but they cannot buy ads or hold rallies. They also have to report their travel.
Many people are watching Samaranch. They wonder if he can be as good as his father. Coe is also seen as a top candidate. He was an Olympic running champion. He led the 2012 London Olympics. He is famous and likable.
But Coe also has a reputation for not always working well with others. Kirsty Coventry is another strong contender. The current IOC president likes her a lot. He thinks it is time for a woman to lead and wants someone from outside Europe.
The IOC has 111 voting members. In March, they will keep voting until someone wins. It is hard to know who will come out on top. But it will shape the future of the Olympics for years to come.
