World Athletics President Lord Sebastian Coe has been named as one of seven confirmed candidates to succeed Thomas Bach as International Olympic Committee President.

The International Olympic Committee today  published a list  of seven would-be candidates who are set to run for election in March to succeed outgoing President Thomas Bach for the next eight years.

Heading the list is Lord Coe…the former two-time olympic 1500 meter champion who is currently head of track and field’s world governing body…..World Athletics.

Also making the shortlist is IOC executive board member Kirsty Coventry, a seven-time olympic swimming medallist from Zimbabwe who is bidding to become the first woman and African to head the International Olympic Committee.

Completing the group of candidates are : Spaniard Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior. who is one of the four IOC Vice Presidents and whose father was president for 21 years, France’s David lappartient the President of cycling’s governing body, Japan’s Morinari Watanabe who leads gymnastics, Swede Johan Eliasch….President of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation and Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan. 

All seven met yesterday’s deadline to send a letter of intent to Bach, who must leave the post next year after reaching the maximum 12 years in office. 

Bach, who has been in charge since 2013, declined at the Paris Olympics last month to seek to change IOC rules in order to stay in office longer.

A formal candidate list should be confirmed in January three months before the March 18-21 Election meeting in Greece,

Candidates will make presentations to the full ioc membership at a private meeting in Lausanne in January.

Only IOC members are eligible to stand as candidates, with votes cast by the rest of the 111-strong membership of the Olympic body.