David Lappartient is one of the seven candidates for the IOC presidency, who will be put to a vote by the organization's members on Thursday, March 20. Well-known and recognized in the cycling community, he led the French federation (2009-2017) and the European Cycling Union (2013-2017), before becoming president of the International Cycling Union in 2017. He has also been the president of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee since 2023. The 51-year-old Breton, the second youngest candidate in this election, answered questions from FrancsJeux to develop his vision.
Why do you want to become IOC President?
My background and experience mean that I believe I fit the profile outlined by President Thomas Bach in his closing address to the IOC. I have the experience, the energy, and the desire to be a candidate. I believe that what I have been able to contribute in my previous mandates allows me to be a candidate for the IOC presidency today.
What would be the three priorities of your mandate?
My priorities naturally include ensuring the sustainability of the Olympic model, the influence of the Olympic Games, and an economic model which, even if secured for the next eight years, in such a changing world can be a particularly complicated issue. Secondly, we will have to face the geopolitical challenges which will be complex in the times to come and will require experience and leadership. Thirdly – but there is no hierarchical order between the three – we must maintain the place of sport at the heart of the IOC: we must remain a sports organization and I will ensure this.
If elected, what concrete actions would you like to implement by the end of 2025?
First, there is the process for designating host cities for the 2036 Games, which has not yet been clearly defined, and this seems to me to be a priority. During this period, I will also be in contact with all of the IOC's partners, both economic and media, to ensure the sustainability of relationships; this is fundamental. And then, we will have to imagine a 2036 agenda, of which I hope to develop a first version by the end of the year.
"The compactness of the Games is certainly an asset for the athlete experience, for reducing the carbon footprint and for the overall dynamic."
Do you think the current operation of the IOC is optimal, or would you like to change it? If so, how?
I don't know of any organization that can't be improved, but before you start trying to make a revolution, you first need to know how it works in detail. I know some of the workings of the IOC, given my current role within it, but not like a president who would know it even better. So I need to form my own opinion on a number of things, and precisely in relation to the objective of sport being at the heart of our concerns.
More and more major events are promoting joint bids and co-hosting between several countries. Is this a viable path for the future of the Olympic and Paralympic Games?
This is a possible option. However, as we saw during the Paris 2024 Games, the compactness of the Games is certainly an asset for the athlete experience, for reducing the carbon footprint, and for the overall dynamic. It is an option for reflection, particularly to avoid building facilities that we would no longer need later or that already exist in a neighboring city, but it does not necessarily have to be generalized. It is an option to be used when it brings added value, but not a prerequisite for organizing the Games.
What would be your position on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in Milan-Cortina 2026?
It is a little early to answer this question since we do not yet know the conditions that could be those of a peace treaty which, I hope, could be reached. We have a position today and before modifying it, there would still have to be elements that would allow it to change. However, it is certain that athletes, individually neutral, must be able to participate because no one should be discriminated against solely on the basis of having a passport and no country has the vocation to remain indefinitely outside the Olympic family.
The IOC is expected to make a decision later this year on the future of boxing. Do you believe World Boxing's efforts are sufficient to ensure the sport remains an Olympic sport?
A decision was made at the last IOC Executive Board meeting to grant provisional recognition to World Boxing. This is a major first step, as it implies maintaining boxing on the Olympic Games program. It will now be necessary to work on and verify how World Boxing provides optimal representation and operations that ensure compliance with the Olympic Charter. These conditions, if met, will allow for the transition from provisional recognition to full recognition.
If you are elected, will you give up all your mandates, both sporting and political?
Of course. It can't be otherwise. When you're IOC President, you have to be focused on your task and not have any conflicts of interest or political positions. So yes, I would carry out this mission 100%.
