Beautiful tribute. Thomas Bach, IOC President, will make the long journey between Switzerland and Australia this weekend to witness the final hours of John Coates at the head of the Australian Olympic movement. He will attend as guest of honor the general assembly of the national Olympic committee (AOC), Saturday April 30, during which John Coates will return his hat as president after more than 30 years in power. Thomas Bach will notably be present at the dinner given in honor of John Coates, on Saturday evening in Sydney. At 71, the Australian leader is leaving the presidency of the AOC, but he retains his other functions in the sports movement, including his status as a member of the IOC and his place on the board of directors for the Brisbane 2032 Games. Two men are in the running to succeed him at the head of the AOC: Ian Chesterman, Australia's chef de mission for the last six editions of the Olympic Games, already vice-president of the body, and former swimmer Mark Stockwell , triple medalist at the Los Angeles Games in 1984.
