“If you ask me about the biggest challenges, how much time do you have? There were so many, but I think it just makes no real sense to rate them because you have to address challenges and at the beginning of the challenges you sometimes don’t even know how big the challenge in the end will be and if it will go away or fade away somehow. You have to take every challenge seriously and what we have done in this last eight years you have to look into every challenge in a way asking ‘where are our opportunities with these challenges?’”
~ Thomas Bach
Bach, the only contestant for the role of IOC presidency, earned 93 votes during the IOC’s second virtual Session. There was one vote against and four abstentions.
Bach, the ninth IOC President who was elected in 2013, is set to serve in the role until 2025. Bach will begin his term after the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games close on August 8.
“Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for this overwhelming vote of confidence and trust. I hope I can count on your commitment, dedication and friendship during the next four years.” Bach said.
Bach announced that he would stand for re-election last July, and was confirmed as the sole candidate for the Presidency in December.
The 66-year-old Olympic Gold Medallist became an IOC member at the age of 37 and served in numerous high-ranking roles, including a total of 11 years as a vice-president, before becoming President.
Bach claimed the IOC had been able to navigate the “sea of troubles” it has faced during his eight years in charge to date.
Bach will act upon “Unity is Diversity”, he prefers the principle of taking everyone’s opinion.
He further said that the major focus will be to make the Olympic movement fit for the post-coronavirus world, and sport an important enabler for achieving the UN sustainable development goals”
On this important occasion, the Asian Hockey Family extend its heartfelt felicitations to Mr Thomas Bach.