Seven candidates made presentations for the running of the presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the Olympic House on Thursday.

The order of the presentations was determined by a draw in November, with Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan starting first, followed by Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) president David Lappartient, International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) president Johan Eliasch, IOC vice-president Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., Zimbabwe's Olympic swimming champion and sports minister Kirsty Coventry, World Athletics (WA) president Sebastian Coe and International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) president Morinari Watanabe.

Candidate to the presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sebastian Coe speaks during a press conference following a presentation before their fellow IOC members in Lausanne, Switzerland, Jan. 30, 2025. Seven candidates will compete in the election for the IOC presidency at the 143rd IOC Session held from March 18 to 21, 2025 in Greece. (Fabrice Coffrini/Pool via Xinhua)

Each made a 15-minute presentation to the IOC Members at a close-door in-camera meeting, and the new IOC president will be elected at the 144th IOC Session in Greece on March 18-21.

They also attended a news meeting with selected media in this order, with 10 minutes for each candidate in the Q&A session, which was the first face-to-face media interaction at the headquarters of IOC since the outbreak of COVID-19.

Their main topics of discussion included the rights and welfare of athletes, climate change, gender equality, anti-doping and new broadcasting methods and technology. The manifestos of all candidates were published by the IOC in December.

Prince Feisal Al Hussein, 61, said his presentation was structured around three strategic imperatives -- inspiring imagination, ensuring integrity, and developing inclusion.

Lappartient, 51, who is also president of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee, said the IOC faces many challenges, including global instability, climate change and digitalization.

Eliasch, 62, mentioned more about the sponsorship of the Olympic Games and a scheme to rotate Olympic venues over the coming years, while Samaranch Jr. 65, son of former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch, emphasized the media are "not our enemies", but "our allies".

As the youngest, and also the only female and African candidate, Coventry, 41, discussed her life's journey towards being a presidential candidate, saying "I want to be the best candidate to win, not just because of my gender or where I come from".

At 68, Coe is the oldest candidate. The age limit of IOC members is 70, with only one four-year extension, which means Coe needs to lift the age limit to complete the eight-year presidency term and a four-year extension if he is elected. He insisted that he remained engaged with younger generations.

Watanabe, 65, proposed again to stage the Olympic Games on five continents at the same time, and reduce the Games' financial budget.

The new president will replace Thomas Bach, who was elected in 2013 and leaves after having served the maximum 12-year term. 

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