International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said he intends to step down after his second term ends next year.
The German lawyer, who has been in charge since 2013, surprised members at a session during the Paris Olympics by announcing he would not continue despite being asked to.
An extension would require changes to the Olympic charter, which limits the president’s term to a maximum of 12 years – the first term of eight years and the second term of four years, which he helped draft.
“After 12 years as IOC president, our organization is best served by a change of leadership. New times call for new leaders,” he said in an emotional speech.
The new IOC president will be elected in March 2025 at a session in ancient Olympia and will take office in June that year, Bach said.
No member has publicly campaigned to succeed him.
A 1976 Olympic fencing champion who joined the Olympic body as a member in 1991, Bach has been a steady leader since taking over from predecessor Jacques Rogge 11 years ago.
He introduced comprehensive reforms to speed up the introduction of sports into the Olympic programme, as well as the bidding and hosting process for the Games, which reduced overall costs and made the event more attractive to potential candidate cities.
