Sebastian Coe, two-time Olympic gold medalist and 2012 London Olympics Chair, was elected president of the IAAF at its 48th Congress in Beijing today.
A narrower than expected victory of 115-92 over
rival Sergey Bubka puts Coe in charge of a sport and a federation facing
serious credibility issues due to a recent spate of negative publicity over
performance enhancing drugs.
Coe takes over the reins from Senegal’s Lamine Diack, who
completes a 16-year run in the position.
“We had two great candidates,” said TrackTown USA chief Vin
Lananna in an interview with trackerati. “We’re excited about working with Seb. We had a great relationship with President
Diack and so I feel like we’ll have a great shot to do something great for 2021
(when Eugene hosts the outdoor world championships), and I think Seb will be a
great person to work with.”
Lananna, who will also serve as head coach of the 2016 US
Olympic track and field team, expressed appreciation for the job Diack has done
in challenging times.
“President Diack… is a great diplomat of the sport of
athletics worldwide. He has navigated us through some difficult water. I think
the organization is in great shape and I think he hands the baton off to a
great leg.”
Coe is grateful for the “very, very firm foundation" Diack has left him. "He ceases to be our president on the 31st of
August," Coe stated, "but he will always be our spiritual president. He will
certainly be my spiritual president.”
“This, for me, is the pinnacle,” said a reflective Coe. “It is my sport,
it is my passion and it’s the thing that I’ve always wanted to do.”
“Track and field is the #1 sport and I am absolutely
delighted to be president of the #1 sport … It is my responsibility to make it
stronger – and I will.”
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