IOC presidency: Coe and Samaranch's links with Asia

Lord Sebastion Coe and Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior, who are hot favorites for the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) presidency, have somewhat contrasting links with Asia.

However, they are likely to be most welcomed, if elected, in this part of the world which needs a massive sports uplift.

Coe, the World Athletics’ president, has family links with South Asia. His mother Tina Angelia Lal was of Indian descent. She was born to a Punjabi father Sardari Lal Malhotra and English-Irish mother Vera.

“He has mentioned several times in front of us that his mother is from India and this is his association with this region,” a source, who had several meetings with Coe told Nukta.

“I know him well. He has thinking mind and in the last decade being the World Athletics head he has brought in many innovations and different things in athletics. He is a strong administrator. I think he will be a good president based on his sports career and administrative skills he has,” the source said.

Another source, who met Coe several times, is also impressed with his personality as a sports administrator.

“He is a fine person and has done well for the welfare of athletes. He has raised the standard of athletics if we compare it with the past. He is a good administrator, a super former athlete. I think, if he is elected, he can deliver as an IOC leader,” the source said.

Coe has strong credentials as an athlete. He has to his credit 1500m golds in the 1980 Moscow and 1984 Los Angeles Olympics besides having claimed silvers in the 800m in the same Games, respectively.

He also tested his knack as a politician and remained member of parliament while representing Conservative Party of Great Britain.

Coe was also member of the Board and latter its chairman for the bid company when England was set to bid for the 2012 London Olympics while contesting with Paris and Madrid. He pleaded England’s case smartly which convinced the IOC to award England the London Games.

Serving as World Athletics’ chief since 2015, Coe also has served as the first chairman of FIFA’s Ethics Committee in the era of Sepp Blatter as the world body’s chief.

Samaranch's China connection

Spanish Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior, son of a former IOC’s president, is the IOC vice-president. He is the most experienced campaigner of the Olympic family and is too strong for the coveted post. His father had strong links with China and it was because of his favor that China was awarded 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Samaranch Senior always tried to cement the bond between China and the Olympic movement. He visited China multiple times, a nation, which now leads the global sports.

His son Samaranch Junior, if elected, is also expected to follow his father’s footsteps and keep friendship with China.

The third strong candidate for the IOC’s presidency is swimming legend Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe who is also serving as her country’s current sports minister.

Jordan’s Prince Feisal Al Hussein, France’s David Lappartient, the president of the world cycling governing body (UCI), England’s Johan Eliasch and Morinari Watanabe of Japan, who is also the president of international gymnastics federation (FIG), are the other candidates for the IOC’s presidency.

The 144th IOC session will be held in Costa Navarino, Greece, from March 19-21 with the opening ceremony to be held in Ancient Olympia on March 18.

The president-elect will have several challenges also including combating environmental hazard. As many as 400 Olympics from 90 nations have joined hands and stressed that the newly-elected IOC chief should make environment a top priority.

"To the incoming president, we ask that over the coming years and the course of your presidency one issue be above all others: the care of our planet," the joint letter of the Olympians said.

"Rising temperatures and extreme weather are already disrupting competition schedules, putting iconic venues at risk and affecting the health of athletes and fans.

"Extreme heat is raising real concerns about whether Summer Games can be held safely in future years, and Winter Games are becoming harder to organize with reliable snow and ice conditions diminishing annually."

But this move does not have any athlete from Pakistan despite the fact that Arshad Nadeem is an Olympic champion and record holder of the world’s most prestigious Games, having managed a record throw of 92.97m in Paris last year.

“No, he is not in the group of athletes who have made the plea but it’s a good cause for which athletes have raised their voice,” Arshad’s coach Salman Butt told Nukta.

“And this is especially very dangerous in Pakistan as here pollution is too much. It’s not our choice but its mandatory for us to focus on.

“It’s not a new phenomenon. I show you a picture in English Gazette written in 1892-93 which carries Lahore Commissioner sitting on camel cart expressing that it’s difficult to breathe in the month of May due to huge pollution.

“Carbon emission and other matters also makes the environment dirty.”