Sebastian Coe edges closer to securing IAAF presidency
Last Updated: 30/07/15 3:11pm
Sebastian Coe has edged closer to securing the IAAF presidency after winning public declarations of support from 12 European countries.
Lord Coe is running against Sergey Bubka, the former Olympic pole vault champion from Ukraine, with the election to take place on August 19 in Beijing.
Coe's team insist they are taking nothing for granted in the run-up to the election but nevertheless the declarations indicate he is well out in front and a favourite in the race to succeed Lamine Diack, who is stepping down after 16 years in the role.
The double Olympic 1500 metres gold medallist has been promised the support of Athletic Association Small States of Europe (AASSE), a group of nine countries, plus Estonia, Ireland and Italy.
Ciaran O Cathain, president of Athletics Ireland, said: “Seb Coe has all the characteristics, experience and know-how the sport needs in a new leader and we are very happy to confirm in an open manner that we will be voting for him."
In addition to these countries pledging their support, Coe, also chairman of the British Olympic Association, is set to visit Romania at the weekend to attend a regional athletics event involving Balkan countries.
The former London 2012 chairman is then heading to Costa Rica, visiting a similar event involving nations from North and Central America, to continue his campaigning ahead of the election which is just under three weeks away.
He has been targeting the small nations and has promised an 'Olympic athletics dividend' to all of the IAAF's 214 member federations if he is elected.
This pay-out would be funded through half of the fee received from the International Olympic Committee and would be more than 100,000 US dollars for each federation.
Coe, 58, said the investment could help fund all manner of projects, including construction, refurbishment or maintenance of facilities, preparation and training of athletes and talent identification programmes in schools and clubs.