Thomas Bach re-elected for another four-year term as IOC President

March 11, 2021

Events / Sport /

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has been re-elected for an additional four-year term at the 137th IOC Session, receiving overwhelming support despite a long list of challenges during his past eight years as president.

The Olympic champion, who won gold as part of the West German foil fencing team at the Olympic Games of Montreal 1976, won re-election yesterday having received 93 votes with one against and four abstentions.

President Bach was first elected IOC President in Buenos Aires in 2013 for an eight-year term. That term will end on the last day of the Tokyo 2020 Games on 8th August 2021 with his second term beginning immediately after, concluding in 2025.

Following his re-election, President Bach thanked everyone for “this overwhelming vote of confidence and trust.

"For me, this is even more overwhelming considering the many reforms and the many difficult decisions we had to take which affected all of us.

"You know that this is touching me deeply. It also makes me humble. When you elected me for the first time as your President in 2013 in Buenos Aires, I said that I want to lead the IOC according to my campaign motto 'Unity in diversity' and be a President for all of you and for all our stakeholders.”

On asked to rate his performance in the role, President Bach noted "It is not up to me to give myself marks.

"Today you could see what the IOC members are thinking about the achievements of these eight years and you could see the international community and the athletes giving their judgment and this judgement I humbly accept.”

President Bach said the lessons from COVID-19 have not just been for the Olympic movement but the world generally, with "rich countries getting richer, poor countries getting poorer".

He said the IOC would continue with its "remit to contribute to a better and more inclusive society.

"In my second term I will follow my same style of consultation in taking the opinion of everybody into account to live up to my campaign model which I had for 2013 — 'unity in diversity'.

"This commitment is also true for my second and last term. My door, my ears and my heart remain open for each and everyone of you. I hope that I can count on your continued dedication, support and friendship."

In his first term as IOC President, Bach initiated Olympic Agenda 2020, a set of reforms for the future of the IOC and the Olympic Movement.

Olympic Agenda 2020 was adopted in 2014 at the IOC Session in Monaco, and its Closing Report was approved by the IOC Session unanimously by a vote of 95–0 prior to Bach's re-election.

In its place, its successor roadmap – named Olympic Agenda 2020+5 – will be discussed on Friday by the Session.

Prior to becoming IOC President, Bach was also IOC Vice-President from 2000 to 2004, 2006 to 2010, and 2010 to his election as President in 2013.

President Bach received the Seoul Peace Prize last October, which he said belonged to the entire IOC and Olympic Movement. A year earlier, he was also awarded the Cem-Papandreou Peace Award, which is given to individuals and groups who have made 'an outstanding contribution to peace'.

Image:Thomas Bach Credit: IOC/Christophe Moratal

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