August 17, (THEWILL) – Sebastian Coe has been re-elected to a third and last four-year term as president of World Athletics.
The 66-year-old Briton stood unopposed and was overwhelmingly approved for another mandate during the governing body’s congress in Budapest on Thursday. Coe has led World Athletics since 2015, when he took over an organisation dealing with a major corruption scandal under previous president Lamine Diack.
He spent his first two terms enacting significant reforms, including establishing an independent Athletics Integrity Unit to oversee anti-doping efforts. The former two-time Olympic 1500m champion has also taken a firm stance against Russia’s participation due to doping violations and the country’s invasion of Ukraine, and made protecting female athletes and promoting growth of one-day events other priorities.
Coe said his first four years were about “making sure the ship didn’t sink” and his second terms saw him dealing with pressing issues like Russia. His next term will focus more on initiatives to “future-proof the sport” over the long run.
According to World Athletics rules, Coe will be unable to run for a fourth presidential term when this one expires in 2027. But it is clear he still has strong support to continue leading the organisation through the next Olympic cycle and beyond.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
