BUDAPEST: Sebastian Coe was re-elected unopposed as World Athletics president for a third and final term with an overwhelming majority at the congress of the ruling body on Wednesday.
Coe received 192 of 195 possible votes in Budapest, with three abstentions, reported German news agency (dpa).
The 66-year-old Briton, a two-time 1,500 metres Olympic champion and chief organiser of the 2012 Olympics in London, has presided over World Athletics since 2015.
He was re-elected for the first time in 2019, and will now serve a final term until 2027.
Coe said he was “deeply honoured” by the faith in him, and he added: “We have a lot of unfinished work to do. Let’s bring this baby home.”
Coe may not complete his term as there is speculation he could run for the presidency of the International Olympic Committee in 2025 in succession of Thomas Bach, whose mandate ends then after 12 years. Should Coe be elected IOC boss he would leave World Athletics.
Thursday’s election was overseen by former pole vault great Sergey Bubka, who ran against Coe in the 2015 election, in his function as senior vice-president.
The Ukrainian did not stand for re-election as he is stepping down after 22 years on the World Athletics council after criticism over his links to Russia amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Bubka had previously also resigned as Ukraine Olympic Committee president.
The congress in Budapest precedes the world championships in the Hungarian capital which start on Saturday and runs over nine days until Aug 27, bringing together some 2,000 athletes from 200 countries in 49 events.
Russian and Belarusian athletes are banned in connection with the invasion of Ukraine. – BERNAMA-dpa
