A total of seven candidates, including one woman, are in the running to succeed Germany’s Thomas Bach as president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from next year.

The official announcement of the candidacy was made public on the IOC website, and it did not take long for the media to establish favourites for the post on the list, a position that would be occupied by Spain’s Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. and Britain’s Sebastian Coe.

The latter, a former two-time Olympic 1500m runner, has been at the helm of World Athletics since 2015 as part of a highly successful track and field management career.

Spain’s Samaranch Jr, whose father was one of the IOC’s best remembered presidents, is the other strong candidate, although a more accurate picture will have to await the closed session in January next year, when each contender will present their proposal to the remaining members of the body.

Kirsty Coventry, from Zimbabwe, is aiming to become the first woman to head the world’s governing body. The former swimmer has won seven medals at summer events, in addition to her experience as her country’s Minister of Sport and a member of the IOC Executive Board since 2018.

Japan’s Morinori Watanabe, head of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), France’s David Lappartient, Jordan’s Feisal al Hussein and Sweden’s Johan Eliasch – head of the International Cycling Union – completed the list after the deadline for confirming nominations.

Bach announced in the midst of the Paris 2024 Games that he would not seek another term as IOC president, opening the door to his succession after almost 12 years as president.

The election was set for March 2025, during the session to be hosted by Greece. The successful candidate will become the tenth IOC president since the IOC was founded in 1894.