Sebastian Coe

March 17, 2025
· 5 min read

My manifesto for President of the International Olympic Committee has 5 core pillars of what I would do if I was elected. In this post I go through my Sport First pillar and why I feel it is so important.

Gold standard sport is the lifeblood of the Olympic Movement. If it is not front and centre the Games lose their soul, their magic and their meaning. We are not doing enough to prioritise our core purpose and be the sporting leaders it is our duty to be.

The 129-year history of the Games has seen massive social, political, cultural and sporting change. No two Games are ever the same, however all Games do have one similarity: sport comes first.

Many of you feel we must reaffirm our commitment to sporting excellence. There is concern that we are losing focus on what makes the Games special: the pursuit of stellar human achievement through fair competition.

You have told me about the importance of protecting the integrity of women’s sport, about setting clear policies, ensuring doping never tarnishes the values we stand for and maintaining focus on sport and athletes for the full Olympic cycle.

My pledge is to maintain a laser-like focus on sporting excellence, to strive to ensure every competition is conducted at the highest level, prioritising fairness and opportunity for all athletes, regardless of background, to perform at their best.

Women’s sport is at a critical juncture, one we must navigate with sensitivity and resolve to ensure current and future generations of women choose sport. I will advocate for clear, science-based policies that safeguard the female category and work closely with world-leading institutions to increase research into female health, performance and exercise physiology.

Doping undermines the trust and integrity of the Games. I will enhance intelligence-led testing, intensify the work with governments globally to prioritise and enhance funding and use the legal instruments only they can access to fight doping.