CCTV News: The 144th Plenary Session of the International Olympic Committee was held in Greece on the 18th. As the term of office of IOC President Bach is about to end, the election of a new president will become the most important issue of this conference. On March 20, the IOC presidential election will be held, and the new president will be elected from the seven candidates. He will replace Thomas Bach in June this year as the tenth president of the IOC.

The current president of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach was once a foil athlete and won the gold medal at the 1976 Olympic Games. What kind of story has he experienced from the Olympic champion to the president of the International Olympic Committee?

Bach was born in Würzburg, Germany in 1953. His sports career began in the fencing arena. In 1976, Bach won the men's foil team championship at the Montreal Olympics, and this athlete experience profoundly influenced his understanding of the Olympic spirit.

IoT Chairman Bach: I have had a personal experience of the contradiction between sports and politics. In fact, this is exactly why I am in my current job, because I don’t want future athletes to still suffer from the boycott of the Olympics we have experienced, and that’s where I started sports management.

In 2013, Bach was elected the ninth president of the International Olympic Committee and became the first president of the International Olympic Committee to win the Olympic gold medal. As a leader who manages a vast international organization, he describes himself as “the conductor of an orchestra.” During his 12 years as president of the International Olympic Committee, Bach vigorously promoted the Olympic spirit and hoped that sports competition would become an important driving force for achieving peace, health, equality and unity.

Bach has visited China many times over the past twelve years. In 2022, when he delivered his speech at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Bach expressed his gratitude and congratulations to China in Chinese many times.

IOC President Bach: Thank you China. Thank you, Chinese friends. Volunteers, thank you. Congratulations to China.

From the 2008 Beijing Olympics to the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics to the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, and then to the just-concluded Harbin Asian Winter Games, Bach has seen China's efforts to promote the vigorous development of the Olympic movement.

IOC President Bach: In recent years, China has made great contributions to the development of the Olympic movement, which is reflected in all aspects. China has always upheld the concept of multilateral cooperation, firmly supported the International Olympic Committee in fulfilling its mission, and is committed to allowing athletes from all over the world to gather together and compete peacefully.

From the Olympic champion to the helm of the International Olympic Committee, Bach spent 12 years practicing the Olympic spirit of unity and mutual assistance. Looking back on his 12 years, Bach said that he believes that the most important ability of the President of the International Olympic Committee is to maintain the unity of the Olympic movement.

IOC President Bach: Only when united can the Olympic movement maintain its influence. On the other hand, this also means that political neutrality must be maintained. The Olympics cannot stand on political issues, even if it is sometimes difficult to do.