North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) President Mike Sands says the body will fully support World Athletics President Sebastian Coe should he run for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidency.

The discussion follows the news that IOC President Thomas Bach will not seek a third term in office as this would mean changing the Olympic charter, which limits the president to a maximum of 12 years in office. Bach, an Olympic fencing champion in 1976, is now 70. He took over as IOC president in 2013.

Bach announced he was not interested in a third term during the Paris Olympics earlier this month, saying, “New times are calling for new leaders.”

His successor will be elected during the IOC’s 143rd session in Greece, from March 18 to 21, 2025, and will take office the following June. However, IOC’s charter mandates that no candidate can declare presidential interest until three months before the election.

Coe, 67, is a British two-time Olympic 1,500m gold medallist (1980 and 1984) and is one of the individuals expected to run for the presidency. Aruban IOC vice-president, former synchronised swimmer Nicole Hoevertsz, 60, is also likely to challenge, as is Zimbabwean former swimmer Kirsty Coventry, 40.

Sands says Coe has a positive record as World Athletics president.

“I think World Athletics has the best president of any president in the world,” Sands told the Sunday Observer recently. “I cannot speak for him, but I can say that we certainly will support him if that is the choice that he makes.

“He has run World Athletics well — the transparency, putting things together, accountability, and progress. It would be good to see it happen. I would like to say that he would get our support but it’s not for me to go beyond the point to say that I think he will be a good candidate and by extension, a great president.”

UK-based newspaper The Guardian reported on Sunday, August 11 that Coe said he would consider the IOC presidency.

“I have always made it clear that if the opportunity arose, then I would obviously give it serious thought,” Coe said in The Guardian. “The opportunity has arisen and clearly I need to think about it. I would consider it.

“I have chaired an Olympic Games from bid to delivery and two years of legacy after that. I have been privileged to compete in two Olympic Games.

“I have chaired a national Olympic committee, and I now have the best job in the world as president of the number-one Olympic sport.

“These are experiences that if you put together, as well as other aspects of my life, I think would be beneficial to the role.”

But Coe also said he wants as many candidates as possible to challenge for the IOC presidency, as he believes representation from as many sports as possible is positive. This, he said, hints at good governance.

Although the IOC has a firm stance on athletes being paid to compete at the Olympic Games, as it embraces amateurism, World Athletics paid gold medallists in its 48 events at the Paris Games this summer US$50,000 (just under $8 million). This was opposed by the IOC. World Athletics also announced it would seek to provide cash prizes for all medallists at the next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.