By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) needs to improve rules on transgender and DSD (differences in sex development) athletes to “protect female sport”, says World Athletics president Sebastian Coe.
Coe, 68, is one of seven confirmed candidates hoping to succeed Thomas Bach as IOC president next March.
The other six candidates are Spain’s Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr, France’s David Lappartient, Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry, Japan’s Morinari Watanabe, Sweden’s Johan Eliasch and Prince Feisal al Hussein of Jordan.
Coe was speaking to the media for the first time since he was officially confirmed as a candidate.
He has taken on almost every single stakeholder role within the Olympic movement at some point in his career – athlete, national Olympic committee boss, international federation president, Games bid team leader and even marketing agency executive.
“I think the International Olympic Committee needs a very, very clear policy in this space,” Coe said.
“And the protection of the female category, for me, is absolutely non-negotiable.
“If you are not prepared to do that, and that is where the international federations expect a lead to be taken, then you really will lose female sport and I’m not prepared to see that happen.
“I’m not sure that policy is clear enough at the moment.”
The IOC has faced criticism from academics over its transgender inclusion framework which says sports should work from a position where there is “no presumption of advantage” to transgender women.
In a wide-ranging interview, Coe also spoke of how he has been “in training for life” for the presidency of the IOC, the fundamental challenges facing the Olympic movement, prize money in sport and building a relationship with US President-elect Donald Trump – with the next Games scheduled to take place in Los Angeles in 2028.
Under Coe, World Athletics has banned transgender women from competing in the female category at international events and toughened the rules over the participation of DSD competitors.
He will also be able to point to his experience, achievements and his willingness to establish the Athletics Integrity Unit – which has a strong reputation for catching dopers – in the competition to replace Bach and become the first Briton to head up the IOC.
“It’s a movement I spent my whole life in,” he added.
“I feel as though actually I’ve probably been in training for life for this so yes, it’d be a huge honour. I don’t know if it’s the toughest race I’ve ever run, but it’s the one I’m best prepared for.”
The new IOC president will be elected in March 2025 and will take over in June.