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Candidates to succeed the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, have been announced following the 70-year-old Olympic gold medalist’s decision to step down.

“Change or be changed,” were the words Thomas Bach uttered at the IOC’s 142nd session in early August as he announced plans to step down following the Paris 2024 Olympic Games saying “New times are calling for new leaders.”

Now those new leaders have been laid out before us in a new list published by the International Olympic Committee on Monday.

There are few surprises, with World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe the top billing having previously heavily hinted at his candidacy last month.

Coe is joined by six other would-be candidates including IOC executive board member and the only other two-time gold medallist athlete, Kirsty Coventry.

Many had hoped either Coventry, Aruba’s Nicole Hoevertsz, or Morocco’s Nawal El Moutawakel would declare their candidacy and make a change from the IOC’s male-dominated past.

Coventry is the only female candidate and would become the first woman and first African to head the IOC in its 130-year history.

The candidates are set to run for election at the 143rd IOC session scheduled from 18 to 21 March.

Here are the profiles of those bidding to become the tenth IOC president compiled by AFP Sports:

Sebastian Coe (Great Britain)

Despite the rules laid down last Thursday which on age alone could be a barrier, Coe has shown the same single-minded determination he displayed in his legendary athletics career in declaring himself a runner — the question is can he emerge, like he did twice in successive Olympics (1500m in 1980/84), a winner.

His golden touch has carried on into his administrative career.

He was a Conservative Party lawmaker for five years and ran both the successful bid for the 2012 London Olympics and the hosting of them before taking over in 2015 as the head of World Athletics.

Coe, who turns 68 on September 29, reformed World Athletics after the troubled reign of his predecessor Lamine Diack, convicted for his involvement in a cover-up of Russian doping.

He has shown strong leadership in imposing a blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Paris Games due to the invasion of Ukraine —a stark contrast to Bach and many federations allowing some to compete under a neutral banner.

He has seven successful years as president of the International Cycling Union and brought much-needed calm af-ter a period of infighting to the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) when he was elected in June 2023.

Sebastian Coe

The centre-right lawmaker also produced results by using his political nous — he was mayor of Brittany town Sarzeau for 13 years and is president of the Morbihan region — and powers of persuasion, he secured the 2030 Winter Olympics for The Alps.

Despite his federation being financially healthy he refused to follow the path of Coe over awarding prize money to Olympic champions.

He said it ran counter to the values of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the Frenchman credited with founding the modern Olympics.

Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior (Spain)

The 64-year-old, son of the man who was IOC president from 1980-2001 and transformed it into a commercial powerhouse, is a big player within the movement.

Samaranch Junior is a former perfume salesman and banker who is in his second stint as an IOC Vice-President. He is media savvy and an excellent communicator.

Juan Antonio Samaranch

He has been on the coordinating committees for three Winter Olympics, serving as chair for the 2022 Beijing Games.

Kirsty Coventry (Zimbabwe)

Coventry, who turned 41 on Monday, bids to become not only the first woman but also the first person from Africa to head the IOC.

She has an impressive Olympic record with seven swimming medals, including two golds with the then-Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe describing her as a ‘golden girl’ in 2008.

She has forged a successful career in sports administration since hanging up her swimming cap in 2016.

She has been the Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts, and Recreation in Zimbabwe since 2019.

On the IOC front — of which she has been a member since 2013 — she has chaired the IOC Athlete’s Commission and served on the IOC Executive Board since 2018.

She heads the Coordination Commission for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.

Morinari Watanabe (Japan)

Gymnastics federation president, to which he owes his IOC membership faces a similar challenge to that of Eliasch, Lappartient, and Coe.

One difference with Coe is he is adamant there will be no prize money offered to Olympic gymnastic gold medal winners whilst he remains president of the federation, preferring to invest it in countries that lack equipment and other basic needs.

Morinari Watanabe

The 65-year-old will vie with Prince Faisal to capture the Asian vote — he already broke the mould by being the first Asian president of the gymnastics federation.

He was on the executive board of the Tokyo Games organising committee and is on the coordination commission for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

Johan Eliasch (Sweden / Great Britain)

The Sweden-born multi-billionaire businessman and environmentalist is the former CEO of the Head sporting goods company and was elected as international ski federation president in 2021.

The 62-year-old has only been an IOC member since July but is full of confidence in his chances of becoming the second Swede (Sigfrid Edstrom 1942-52) to be IOC president.