7 d. ago ‘It’s a privilege’: Boris van der Vorst, the man who saved Olympic boxing

By forming a new governing body, World Boxing, the Dutchman prevented the sport being banished by the IOC“It feels like such a sweet week and of course I’m very happy and proud,” Boris van der Vorst says as, in his role as the founder and president of World Boxing, he takes a rare break to reflect on a mighty achievement. Just over two years ago, boxing had been struck off the initial programme for the Los Angeles Games in 2028 and it was about to be banished entirely from the Olympic movement. It was then that Van der Vorst set about establishing a new regulatory body to replace the discredited International Boxing Association.His work, despite intense pressure, was vindicated when Thomas Bach, the outgoing International Olympic Committee president, announced on Monday that his executive board had recommended boxing’s inclusion in the LA Olympics. The key stipulation was in place, because the IOC recognised World Boxing as the sport’s new regulatory body, and on Thursday Bach’s rec...

Sport

9 d. ago Sent to Coventry: how Bach’s power helped Zimbabwean’s shock IOC win

Poll result defied candidates’ calculations and illustrated outgoing president’s influence but change may yet comeIt might sound beyond ridiculous, given the scale of Kirsty Coventry’s seismic victory in the International Olympic Committee presidential election. But as the various royals, sporting dignitaries, politicians and billionaires left the Costa Navarino resort on Friday, some really believed the result could have turned out very differently.Yes, the 41-year-old Zimbabwean ex-swimmer had won in the first round with 49 votes to become the first woman to lead the IOC. And yes, Juan Antonio Samaranch and Sebastian Coe, the other members of the “Big Three”, had come away with just 28 and eight votes respectively. But in the postmortem there were several stories about how the IOC machine had powered Thomas Bach’s chosen successor over the line. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago Thomas Bach ‘relieved’ as IOC members vote in Kirsty Coventry as his successor

Coventry has been seen by many observers as the continuity candidate.

Politics

1 week ago Kirsty Coventry elected first female president of IOC as Coe denied in vote

Zimbabwean former swimmer won majority in first roundSebastian Coe and Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr lose outThe former Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry has become the first woman to lead the International Olympic Committee in its 131-year history, after winning a shock first round win over a seven-strong field that included Britain’s Sebastian Coe.The 41-year-old Coventry won 49 of the 97 votes of the IOC membership, giving her an immediate majority and also making her the first African to become IOC president and the most powerful woman in global sport. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Kirsty Coventry elected first female president of IOC as Coe routed in vote

Zimbabwean former swimmer won majority in first roundSebastian Coe is third; Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr secondThe former Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry has become the first woman to lead the International Olympic Committee in its 131-year history, after a shock first-round win over a seven-strong field that included Britain’s Sebastian Coe.The 41-year-old Coventry won 49 of the 97 votes of the IOC membership, giving her an immediate majority and also making her the first African to become IOC president and the most powerful woman in global sport. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Kirsty Coventry becomes first female IOC president as Seb Coe misses out on Olympic throne

The former swimmer was confirmed as Thomas Bach’s successor on Thursday

Politics

1 week ago IOC presidential elections: Sebastian Coe and rivals target highest office in sport – live

Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr favourite of seven contendersInside the Olympic conclave | And feel free to mail SimonIt is a big day in the sporting boardroom and backstage hustling department, with Thomas Bach stepping down as president of the International Olympic Committee after 12 years (and taking on the new role of Honorary President for Life: “When I was elected as President 12 years ago, my first words were ‘ouf’, and it’s the same now,” he said in response) and thus forcing them to find someone to replace him. Today we find out who that person will be.There are seven candidates. All of them have published lengthy candidature documents, translated into several languages, which you can find via their individual pages on the IOC website, or from here. They are also profiled more succinctly at insidethegames here. But in very brief, they are:This is pretty simple. At around 2pm GMT a secret ballot of all IOC members (there are currently 109 of them, including all seven candidates, t...

Politics

1 week ago It's election day for the IOC choosing a new Olympics leader in a hard

A new president of the IOC will be elected Thursday as just the 10th leader in its 131-year history after one of the most open Olympic elections in decades

Politics

1 week ago Boxing’s Olympic future set to be secured after IOC recommendation

President Bach backs sport’s inclusion for 2028 in LAStatus had been in doubt with governing body suspendedBoxing’s fragile Olympic status is on the verge of being secured after years of uncertainty. On Monday the International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said that his executive board had recommended that boxing should be included in the 2028 Games to be held in Los Angeles. It appears to be a formality that the IOC membership will ratify the decision in the coming days as Bach and his colleagues confirmed last month that that they now recognise World Boxing as the sport’s new international federation.“After the provisional recognition of World Boxing in February we were in the position to take this decision,” Bach said at a press conference. “I’m very confident the [IOC] session will approve it, so that all boxers then have certainty that they can participate in the Olympic Games in LA2028 if their national federation is recognised by World Boxing.” Continue reading...

Sport

2 w. ago Going for gold: A look at the political and sporting challenges facing the next IOC president

An in tray of Olympic challenges spanning political, social, sporting and operational issues awaits the next International Olympic Committee president

Politics

2 w. ago Imane Khelif gender row sparked by Russian fake news campaign, Olympics chief says

‘It has nothing to do with the reality,’ Thomas Bach says

Politics

2 w. ago Olympics chief: Boxing gender row was sparked by Russian fake news campaign

‘It has nothing to do with the reality,’ Thomas Bach says

Sport

2 w. ago Olympic boxing gender row a result of Russian fake news, claims IOC chief

Thomas Bach criticises ‘fake news campaign from Russia’Two boxers competed in Paris under cloud of controversyA gender row involving two female boxers at the Paris 2024 Olympics was the result of a Russian fake news campaign and had little to do with reality, the International Olympic Committee president, Thomas Bach, said on Saturday. Bach, who is stepping down in June after 12 years in the biggest job in world sports, said the IOC had needed to fight off many similar campaigns before and after the Paris Games. The boxing competition in the Paris was run by the IOC after it stripped the International Boxing Association (IBA) of recognition last year over its failure to implement reforms on governance and finance. But the IBA, run by the Russian businessman Umar Kremlev with close links to the Kremlin, accused the IOC during the Games of allowing two female athletes, who had been banned by the IBA following a chromosome test a year earlier, to compete. A bitter war of words ensued b...

Sport

2 w. ago Olympic boxing gender row a result of Russian fake news, says IOC chief

Thomas Bach criticises ‘fake news campaign from Russia’Two boxers under scrutiny won gold in Paris A gender row involving two female boxers at the Paris 2024 Olympics was the result of a Russian fake news campaign and had little to do with reality, the International Olympic Committee president, Thomas Bach, said on Saturday. Bach, who is stepping down in June after 12 years in the biggest job in world sports, said the IOC had needed to fight off many similar campaigns before and after the Paris Games. The boxing competition in the Paris was run by the IOC after it stripped the International Boxing Association (IBA) of recognition last year over its failure to implement reforms on governance and finance. But the IBA, run by the Russian businessman Umar Kremlev with close links to the Kremlin, accused the IOC during the Games of allowing two female athletes, who had been banned by the IBA after a chromosome test a year earlier, to compete.A war of words ensued between the two organisa...

Sport

2 w. ago Olympic candidate Coe backs athletes calling for climate issues to be a priority in global sports

IOC presidential candidate Sebastian Coe says the impact of climate change on the global sports calendar will be a priority issue if he wins the election next week

Sport