Bach was elected as the new IOC president yesterday to become only the ninth president in the body’s 119-year history. PHOTO: AFP
The 59-year-old German – the first Olympic gold medallist to become president – won in the second round of voting by his fellow IOC members to beat his five male rivals bidding to succeed Jacques Rogge, who stepped down after 12 years in charge.
Bach, gold medallist with the West German team in the team foil event in the 1976 Olympics, had been the frontrunner throughout the campaign and had for years been seen as the man most likely to replace Rogge.
“I know what the enormous responsibilities are of being an IOC president but I am very happy,” he said after the announcement.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You, my friends and colleagues, have placed in me an overwhelming sign of trust.
“I also have enormous respect for my fellow candidates and I will work with you. I will put into practise what my motto was during the campaign: ‘unity in diversity’.”
Bach, a lawyer by profession, is the ultimate insider having been a member since 1991 and has been vice-president three times while also heading up the Judicial Commission.
He has also been one of the leaders in fighting doping, calling for athletes to be suspended for four years instead of the two-year ban in place at the moment.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2013.
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