Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), on Thursday confirmed his readiness to run for a second and final term as IOC president to help the Olympic movement overcome the coronavirus crisis.
Bach’s statement was welcomed by many IOC members, from outgoing board member Sergei Bubka to John Kouts, head of the Tokyo Games Coordination Committee.
“If you, the IOC members, want to, I am ready to run for a second IOC presidency and continue to serve you and this Olympic movement, which we all love so much, for another four years,” Bach told IOC members at the beginning of the organization’s first virtual session.
German Bach, a gold medalist in the 1976 Olympic Games in fencing, was elected president in 2013, replacing Jacques Rogi of Belgium. According to the IOC, the term of office of the President may not exceed eight years. The person can then be re-elected for another four years.
Bach, 66, could be re-elected president at the 2021 IOC session ahead of the postponed Tokyo Olympics, which Bach has called a “mammoth” challenge in the current health crisis.
“Today, no one knows what the world will look like in July and August next year. So we have to prepare for different scenarios for these games,” Bach said.
“With our Japanese partners and friends, we agree that we need to adapt planning to the needs of the global crisis, while maintaining the unique spirit and message that define our mission,” the IOC president describes the challenge.
Next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo are scheduled for July 23, 2021 to August 8, 2021.
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