GENEVA (AP) — In a move by the IOC that apparently could block Sebastian Coe as an expected presidential candidate, the Olympic governing body has clarified its complex election rules before a deadline Sunday to enter the race.
A letter was published Wednesday after being sent by the International Olympic Committee’s ethics commission to the 111 members, including Coe and several more likely candidates in the contest to succeed Thomas Bach next year.
Details in the two-page letter dated Monday specified reasons why the likes of Coe, the 67-year-old president of track governing body World Athletics, would seem unable to complete a full first IOC mandate of eight years without at least getting special exemptions to remain a member of the Olympic body.
The winning candidate must be a member of the IOC on election day, scheduled for March in Greece, “and during the entire duration of their term as IOC President,” the letter stated.
Coe's IOC membership is conditional on being president of World Athletics, a role he must leave in 2027 on completing the maximum 12 years in office.
Another expected candidate, IOC vice president Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., who turns 65 in November, also could have legal roadblocks with the standard age limit of 70 for members defined in the Olympic Charter rules book.
Members turning 70 can be extended only once for four more years, though such an approval for Coe by the IOC executive board also would still expire during a 2025-33 presidency.
The charter “makes no exceptions for the president, who is an IOC member under the same conditions as all the other members,” stated ethics commission chairman Ban Ki Moon, the former United Nations secretary general, who signed the Sept. 9 letter.
The letter of intended clarification added to the complexity of an election that is one of the quirkiest in world sports. Candidates cannot publish campaign videos, nor organize public meetings or take part in public debates.
The candidates must come from the IOC membership that comprises a maximum of 115 invited members including royalty from the Middle East and Europe, a current head of state — the Emir of Qatar — former diplomats and lawmakers, industrialists, and leaders of sports bodies and athletes.
Those voters cannot publicly endorse their pick, according to guidelines published last month by the IOC, which plans to publish the candidate list on Monday.
The IOC top job ideally calls for deep knowledge of managing sports, understanding athletes’ needs and nimble skills in global politics. The president oversees an organization that earns billions of dollars in revenue from broadcasting and sponsor deals for the Olympic Games and employs hundreds of staff in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Coe is widely considered a most qualified candidate. A two-time Olympic champion in the 1,500-meters, he was later an elected lawmaker in Britain, led the 2012 London Olympics organizing committee and has presided at World Athletics for nine years.
The legal hurdles are stacking up just days before the IOC-set deadline for candidates to send a letter of intent to Bach, who will leave as president next year after reaching his 12-year term limit.
Kirsty Coventry, an Olympic gold medalist swimmer who is sports minister of Zimbabwe, and David Lappartient, the French president of cycling’s governing body, have seemed to have support from Bach in recent years.
Bach placed Lappartient to oversee a long-term project with Saudi Arabia, hosting the Esports Olympic Games, that was sealed in Paris.
Other candidates could include two of the four IOC vice presidents — Nicole Hoevertsz of Aruba and Spaniard Samaranch, whose father was IOC president for 21 years until leaving in 2001.
Prince Feisal al Hussein of Jordan is a potential candidate who could be the first president in the IOC's 130-year history from Asia or Africa.
However, Coe’s strong positions in sports politics — against Russia on state-backed doping and the invasion of Ukraine, plus awarding $50,000 cash prizes for Paris Olympics gold medals from track’s share of Olympic revenues — have clashed with the IOC and leaders of other sports bodies.
The letter signed by Ban also suggested a conflict of interest between holding two presidential roles, of the IOC and a sports governing body. That applies to Coe, Lappartient and Morinari Watanabe, the Japanese president of the International Gymnastics Federation.
This conflict could be resolved, the letter said, by having a vote after the IOC presidential election “for a change of membership status.”
Britain, however, no longer has a quota space for another IOC member elected as an individual. That's because Hugh Robertson, the government’s Olympics minister at the time of the 2012 Summer Games, was elected in Paris in July.
The IOC needs a new president only because Bach said in Paris last month he would not seek to stay on by changing the statutory maximum of 12 years for the position.
The IOC has had nine presidents in its history. All have been men and none were from Africa, Asia or Latin America.
The only woman ever to stand as a candidate was Anita DeFrantz, a former Olympic rower from the United States. She was eliminated in the first round of voting of a five-candidate election in 2001 won by Jacques Rogge, a sailor and surgeon from Belgium who went on to serve the full 12 years.
Key to this campaign will be a closed-door meeting for candidates to address voters in January in Lausanne.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
FILE - IOC President Thomas Bach addresses the audience during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony at the Stade de France, Aug. 11, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)
FILE - World Athletics President Sebastian Coe holds a press conference at the conclusion of the World Athletics meeting at the Italian National Olympic Committee, headquarters in Rome, Nov. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Oh, so this was what Atlanta expected out of $180 million lavished on Kirk Cousins.
Certainly not a shaky effort like the 36-year-old veteran had in the opener, raising concerns in the loss about the quarterback's return to form from a torn Achilles tendon.
Cousins down the stretch made all the clutch throws in Philadelphia his counterpart Jalen Hurts could not — and sent the Falcons home winners.
Cousins led a flawless last-minute drive for Atlanta and connected with Drake London for a 7-yard touchdown with 34 seconds left to give the Falcons a 22-21 victory over the Eagles on Monday night.
“He went out and played important in the biggest moments in the biggest times,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “Those are things you want to have happen when you have a chance to go out there and get wins. It was great to see today with Kirk Cousins.”
Saquon Barkley dropped a short pass that stopped the clock with 1:46 left and forced the Eagles to settle for a field goal instead of a game-sealing first down. That was plenty of time for Cousins — especially against an Eagles defense playing soft coverage with a nonexistent pass rush.
Cousins, playing his second game since tearing his Achilles tendon last Oct. 29 while playing for Minnesota, shook off an uneven effort and hit Darnell Mooney for 21 and 26 yards on consecutive plays during the decisive drive.
Cousins found London on a short pass to his right for the tying score, and Younghoe Koo put Atlanta (1-1) on top with a 48-yard extra point after London was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The go-ahead drive took just 65 seconds.
“We saved just enough time for those guys to go down and march down and get that game-winning touchdown,” Morris said.
Hurts had his final pass intercepted by Jessie Bates III to seal Atlanta’s win and set off a wild celebration on the sideline.
The Eagles (1-1) went ahead on Hurts' 1-yard tush push score with 6:47 left. Barkley finished with 95 yards on 22 carries in his home debut for Philadelphia, but his drop provided the Falcons with some hope.
And then Cousins started playing like the QB Atlanta thought it was getting when it signed him to a four-year, $180 million contract.
Cousins finished 20 of 29 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Atlanta’s first TD was a 41-yarder from Cousins to Mooney, who finished with three catches for 88 yards.
Hurts was 23 of 30 for 183 yards, including a touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith. With No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown out with a hamstring injury, Smith led the Eagles with seven catches for 76 yards and a score.
Jake Elliott kicked two field goals for the Eagles. His 28-yarder with 1:39 left made it 21-15.
Atlanta kept stalling in the red zone, getting three field goals from Koo, before Cousins fired over the middle to Mooney, who shook loose from C.J. Gardner-Johnson and left him on the turf before he somersaulted into the end zone with 1:21 left in the third quarter for a 15-10 lead. Cousins failed on the 2-point conversion pass.
Hurts had some juice in his step during a second-quarter TD drive, running with abandon for big plays much like he did in the 2022 season. He spiked the ball in a rare, raw show of emotion on a 23-yard run, earning a delay-of-game penalty. He shrugged off the 5-yard setback and scrambled for 9 yards and 15 yards to move the Eagles to Atlanta’s 19.
With comedian Shane Gillis and actor Bradley Cooper among the fans cheering on the Eagles, Hurts connected with Smith in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard TD that made it 7-3.
Under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, the Eagles have established an early knack for allowing long drives that end with three points instead of seven. Koo kicked field goals of 39, 22 and 34 yards, the last one enough for a 9-7 lead in the third quarter. In their opener, the Eagles held the Packers to just three field goals when they drove inside the 20.
“They made a couple more plays than we did down the stretch. We made some plays; they made more,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “And that’s on all of us. That starts with coaching and goes to the players. We are all responsible for the loss.”
Rather than take a chip-shot field goal from Elliott, the Eagles’ fourth-and-4 gamble at Atlanta’s 9-yard line in the first quarter failed when Hurts threw an incomplete pass.
Elliott kicked a 29-yarder with 4:31 left in the third quarter for a 10-9 lead.
Bijan Robinson ran for 97 yards for the Falcons. The Eagles stuffed him late on fourth-and-1 at the Atlanta 39.
Barkley was quiet until the go-ahead drive, a week after he rushed for 109 yards and scored three touchdowns against Green Bay. Eagles fans booed when the opening drive of the game ended without Barkley touching the ball. They went wild when he had consecutive 9-yard runs to open the second drive. Barkley had 40 yards rushing in the first half.
Former Eagles QB Nick Foles, who led the franchise to its only Super Bowl title, served as an honorary captain and led the crowd in a rendition of “Fly, Eagles, Fly.”
The Falcons played without LB Nate Landman (calf, quad).
Atlanta hosts Super Bowl champion Kansas City on Sunday.
The Eagles play at New Orleans on Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London reacts to scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III (3) reacts to intercepting a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (5) celebrates his touchdown with Atlanta Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom (63) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Former Philadelphia Eagles' Nick Foles, third from right, walks with Philadelphia Eagles' Brandon Graham, from left, Jordan Mailata and Darius Slay Jr. as they honor Foles' retirement before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) is brought down during the first half of an NFL football game by Atlanta Falcons' Jessie Bates III, left, on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is tackled by Atlanta Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss (55) after a catch during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) looks to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins is stopped by Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham (55) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith celebrates his touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) looks to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts warms up before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs past Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle David Onyemata (90) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs past Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle David Onyemata (90) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
