Stiff handshakes, formal smiles and muted rumours defined International Olympic Committee's presidential elections in Buenos Aires on Tuesday (September 10). Yet, the expected favourite - Thomas Bach - beat as many as five rivals, including Ukrainian pole vault legend Sergei Bubka, to replace Jacques Rogge as chief of the body.
A look back at his life, however, will show that this 59-year-old may well have been the only contender, or one most suited to the post at least. After all, none of his rivals had what he did in his very impressive resume - an Olympic gold medal!
A lawyer by profession, Germany's Bach received 49 votes in the second round of secret balloting to emerge victorious. He will now replace Rogge, the Belgian who was at the helm of IOC for over 12 years. While it won't be easy to step into the largely successful, slightly controversial shoes of Rogge, Bach, on paper, has the right qualifications, deft skills and a thinking mind to take the Olympic movement forward.
Board games and games on the field
A major in law and politics from the University of Wurzburg, this chairman of the board of the Michael Weinig AG Company has spent as much time on the field as he has inside the confines of an official meeting room. A champion fencer, he was part of the gold medal winning fencing (foil) team at Montreal Olympics in 1976. His success touched several other highs as well with medals from European Cup of Champions and national championships.
A versatile sportsman, Bach in his youth also played football and tennis apart from his true calling in fencing. In fact, BBC in a profile on him, writes that Bach played football on the streets as a child before being compelled by his parents to join fencing clubs.
From sports to sports administration
As his body began to age, it forced Bach to ease up on his fencing and other playing activities. Once an athlete, always an athlete however is what truly defined him. Of course, the political turmoil in West Germany around the early 1980s played a significant role in ushering him towards sports administration.
In particular, it was West Germany's boycott of the 1980 Games and a general disregard for athletes' concerns that led Bach to sports politics. He eventually rose up the ranks and joined IOC in 1991 - thrice being elected vice-president of the body.
"I am my own man!"
Bach brought in all his experience, gathered from over two decades of being in the IOC, to the fore as he sought to be elected as president of the organization. A bitter battle may have been the main highlight of the elections but the German has maintained that he owes nothing to anybody. "I am my own man," he said.
Bach was replying to allegations that he had struck deals with influential members including close friend and fellow IOC member Sheikh Ahmed al-Sabah. "At my presentation to the IOC members in July in Lausanne I was the candidate who made it very clear to them that I do not make any promises with regard to issues or personal requests," he clarified.
While his ascent to the post of president may have been stormy, there is no denying that he will have his work cut out.
Moving forward and taking the Olympic message along
"This is a really overwhelming sign of trust and confidence," said Bach after winning the presidential elections. Now, it is this trust and confidence that he will have to maintain as two rather controversial Olympics await his attention -- the Winter Games less than five months away in the southern Russian resort of Sochi, and the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
A pragmatic approach may well be his best bet as Bach seeks to strike a chord between having IOC politically neutral and understanding that it really cannot be completely apolitical. Realising that IOC's actions will have repercussions on numerous levels should be high up on his priority lists, considering his work already within the organization.
After all, not every athlete can become a superb sports administrator but a sports administrator with a first-hand experience of international sports stands to be looked upon for path-breaking developments.
A look back at his life, however, will show that this 59-year-old may well have been the only contender, or one most suited to the post at least. After all, none of his rivals had what he did in his very impressive resume - an Olympic gold medal!
A lawyer by profession, Germany's Bach received 49 votes in the second round of secret balloting to emerge victorious. He will now replace Rogge, the Belgian who was at the helm of IOC for over 12 years. While it won't be easy to step into the largely successful, slightly controversial shoes of Rogge, Bach, on paper, has the right qualifications, deft skills and a thinking mind to take the Olympic movement forward.
Board games and games on the field
A major in law and politics from the University of Wurzburg, this chairman of the board of the Michael Weinig AG Company has spent as much time on the field as he has inside the confines of an official meeting room. A champion fencer, he was part of the gold medal winning fencing (foil) team at Montreal Olympics in 1976. His success touched several other highs as well with medals from European Cup of Champions and national championships.
A versatile sportsman, Bach in his youth also played football and tennis apart from his true calling in fencing. In fact, BBC in a profile on him, writes that Bach played football on the streets as a child before being compelled by his parents to join fencing clubs.
From sports to sports administration
As his body began to age, it forced Bach to ease up on his fencing and other playing activities. Once an athlete, always an athlete however is what truly defined him. Of course, the political turmoil in West Germany around the early 1980s played a significant role in ushering him towards sports administration.
In particular, it was West Germany's boycott of the 1980 Games and a general disregard for athletes' concerns that led Bach to sports politics. He eventually rose up the ranks and joined IOC in 1991 - thrice being elected vice-president of the body.
"I am my own man!"
Bach brought in all his experience, gathered from over two decades of being in the IOC, to the fore as he sought to be elected as president of the organization. A bitter battle may have been the main highlight of the elections but the German has maintained that he owes nothing to anybody. "I am my own man," he said.
Bach was replying to allegations that he had struck deals with influential members including close friend and fellow IOC member Sheikh Ahmed al-Sabah. "At my presentation to the IOC members in July in Lausanne I was the candidate who made it very clear to them that I do not make any promises with regard to issues or personal requests," he clarified.
While his ascent to the post of president may have been stormy, there is no denying that he will have his work cut out.
Moving forward and taking the Olympic message along
"This is a really overwhelming sign of trust and confidence," said Bach after winning the presidential elections. Now, it is this trust and confidence that he will have to maintain as two rather controversial Olympics await his attention -- the Winter Games less than five months away in the southern Russian resort of Sochi, and the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
A pragmatic approach may well be his best bet as Bach seeks to strike a chord between having IOC politically neutral and understanding that it really cannot be completely apolitical. Realising that IOC's actions will have repercussions on numerous levels should be high up on his priority lists, considering his work already within the organization.
After all, not every athlete can become a superb sports administrator but a sports administrator with a first-hand experience of international sports stands to be looked upon for path-breaking developments.
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