President of International Olympic Committe, IOC, Thomas Bach says he will stand in 2021 for a second term as President.
The 66-year-old German who was elected for an eight-year term as Olympic chief in September 2013, taking over from Belgian Jacques Rogge made this known on Friday.
Speaking at the 136th IOC Session which held virtually, Bach said: “If you, the IOC members, want, I am ready to run for a second term as IOC president and to continue to serve you and this Olympic movement we all love so much for another four years.”
He will be eligible for a second and final four-year term as The IOC presidential elections are slated to take place in Athens in June 2021.
Bach, who won gold for West Germany in the foil fencing team event at the 1976 Olympics, claimed a large number of IOC members had recently approached him asking if he would seek re-election.
According to reports, Bach as the IOC cheif has had to grapple with several political challenges, and has notably overseen the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the 2016 Rio Summer Games, both perceived as the most troublesome in recent years.
However, he is also credited with having put in place the Olympic Agenda 2020, reforms aimed at cutting costs and streamlining bidding processes to better attract potential host cities
Beyond every logical efforts, the Tokyo Olympics were in March postponed until 2021 – a first in history.
There are fears over whether the Games will even go ahead next year, while Beijing is scheduled to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, just six months later.