On eve of Olympic election, IOC presidential candidate Samaranch plays down emerging favorite status

Candidate to the presidency of the International Olympic Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch makes statements during a break of the 144th session, which will elect the new IOC President, in Costa Navarino, western Greece, Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

Candidate to the presidency of the International Olympic Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch makes statements during a break of the 144th session, which will elect the new IOC President, in Costa Navarino, western Greece, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)


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COSTA NAVARINO, Greece — IOC presidential candidate Juan Antonio Samaranch has played down his possible status as favorite on the eve of voting Thursday. Samaranch says "I really don't know" if he's going to win the seven-candidate contest. There's widespread agreement it's most open presidential contest in modern International Olympic Committee history. It's now widely seen as narrowing to three of the seven candidates: IOC vice president Samaranch and a pair of two-time Olympic gold medalists, Sebastian Coe and Kirsty Coventry. Coventry is sports minister of Zimbabwe and would be the first woman and first African to lead the IOC in its 131 years.

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Graham Dunbar

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