It’s no secret that World Athletics president Seb Coe has ambitions to take over the Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) president place within the group’s 2025 election. He appears to be like to succeed Thomas Bach, who has served as president of the IOC for 12 years. Coe’s presidential manifesto pledges a clear and honest Olympics, and doubtlessly the addition of some conventional summer time and fall sports activities to the Winter program—together with cross nation.
Throughout Coe’s year-end assembly with the media, he alluded to the necessity for the Winter Olympics to turn into “extra accessible and open to new concepts.” The very best participation for the Winter Video games was 93 nations on the 2018 Video games in PyeongChang, South Korea, whereas the Paris 2024 Summer season Video games noticed athletes from over 200 nations.
To broaden the worldwide viewers, Coe believes the addition of fall or indoor sports activities into the Winter program may appeal to athletes and viewers from areas of the world which may not have snow. Cross nation (working) and cyclo-cross (biking) are on the forefront of this push, providing the chance to broaden the Winter Video games with out straying too removed from its profile or mission.
Cross nation has faltered on the World Athletics calendar for the reason that pandemic. The 2023 championships held in Bathurst, Australia, had been too late within the season (February, two months after the cross-country season), which made it a prolonged dedication of time and journey for any athlete. The 2024 meet, initially scheduled for Croatia on Feb. 10-11, was reassigned to Serbia on March 30 when it emerged that Croatia was not able to host. Though Serbia did all it may on six months’ discover, the occasion was closely criticized for its course, spectator-friendly expertise, and timing, because it was held (once more) properly after the cross-country season.
Coe has made it clear, on a number of events, that he believes there’s a place for cross nation within the skilled working calendar, however there must be a option to make it extra engaging to followers. “I’m an ideal adherent of cross nation, and I feel it’s a very necessary a part of the endurance paradigm,” mentioned Coe. “Nevertheless it wants assist… it wants house.”
This system for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy is already set, however Coe is focusing on the inclusion of the 2 sports activities by the 2030 and 2034 Olympics, which had been awarded to the French Alps and Salt Lake Metropolis earlier this yr.
If Coe is elected as the following president of the IOC in March 2025, he’ll vacate his present place as the top of World Athletics. The 68-year-old has served as World Athletics president since 2015 and was re-elected to a 3rd (and remaining) four-year time period in 2023. Coe was a two-time Olympic gold medalist throughout his personal profession and delivered the immensely widespread London Olympics as chairman of the native organizing committee.
