Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics, subtly signaled his ambitions for the top job at the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday, portraying himself as a leader ready to bring fresh momentum to the IOC.
The seasoned British leader is among seven contenders vying to replace Thomas Bach, and he’s already advocating for specific reforms aimed at protecting women’s sport—a stance sharpened by recent controversies in boxing at the Paris Games.
His decisive policies as head of World Athletics, particularly around the banning of Russian and Belarusian athletes in response to both doping and geopolitical tensions, have occasionally clashed with IOC views. Nonetheless, Coe is doubling down, expressing a vision for the Olympic movement that he believes could better embrace a fast-evolving world.
Sebastian Coe’s relationship with the IOC, however, has been marked by friction.
His move to introduce prize money for Olympic champions in Paris without prior IOC consultation stirred unease among some members. Yet Coe sees this as a signal of the kind of modern thinking the IOC needs.
“Change is necessary, but not at the risk of destabilizing,” Coe said. “We are in a fast-changing landscape, and I’m not sure you would call it radical reform.”
The athlete-turned-politician was also clear on one issue he considers non-negotiable: creating firm, universal policies on the participation of trans athletes and those with Differences of Sexual Development (DSD) in women’s sports.
Sebastian Coe’s leadership in athletics has already paved the way on this matter, yet he expressed disappointment at the IOC’s lack of a unified stance, especially after recent cases in boxing put a spotlight on the need for clarity.
“The present framework is not anywhere near clear enough,” Coe said, calling it essential to protect women’s sport. “If you do not protect that category, or are in any way ambivalent about it, then it will not end well for women’s sport.”
Sebastian Coe’s message to the IOC is clear: the time has come for a nuanced transformation, a chance to unlock the potential of the organization and ensure its relevance to a new generation of fans and athletes.