Sebastian Coe is not here to string pearls. That is the message the Briton gave in front of AIPS.The World Athletics president is running for the IOC presidency, which he hopes to lead into a new era. “As an athlete, every morning I woke up trying to understand how I could be better tomorrow compared to today. As president of World Athletics, as president of the National Olympic Committee, as a minister, as a member of parliament, I want the organization in which I work to always seek to improve, he explains. I would transport this same ambition in Lausanne. I want everyone in this organization to wake up every morning knowing that they are here for one reason only, and that is to provide opportunities for athletes."
In particular, he hopes to transform the IOC into a more efficient business institution. “We have business challenges. The business model is outdated, he points. For now, we have transactional sponsorships. They need to become collaborative partnerships. We have to bring the commercial partners to the table, and we have to create brands that want to be there and are able to activate in markets in a lot of countries, in markets that will really help create new opportunities, again, for athletes. I want to be at the forefront in all these areas, but I want the teams to travel with me, and I want to create and bring the right people around the table to help us get there.” The famous leader's posture, which all candidates try to adopt.
