Lamine Diack, 82, the retiring President of the International Association of Athletics Federation, says it is almost certain that consensus, which gave him the presidency in 1999, may not be used this time.
“For the first time we shall have elections for the post,’’ Diack told the AIPS-Africa media team, a copy of which was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Sunday.
The Senegalese said this is because the fight would be a straight one between two European contenders and Olympic Gold medalists – former middle distance runner and Englishman, Sebastian Coe, and Pole vault champion and Ukrainian, Sergey Bubka
Diack said: “Well, consensus may not work for now as they have both declared their wish to vie for the post… I don’t know.
“But these two are both my picks, in 2006, when I met colleagues of my generation, who were on the council and I told them I would leave in 2015 and I thought that we needed a new generation of leaders to take over, because most of them were my age mates.
“I told them that Sebastian Coe and Sergey Bubka both are great champions and have been in the council long enough and are well versed in the federation as Vice-Presidents.
“So for now both of them are my picks and I am keenly following their campaigns.
“If later I have to decide and back one, I will announce my pick on who I think is best of the two and why.”
Diack noted too that there was some interest on the IAAF vice-presidency with many contenders.
According to him: “I think it will be good to have one representative from each continent.
“There is no way for instance Africa can have two.”
He said he had encouraged Cameroonian Malboum Kalkaba, the current African Athletic Confederation President, and Kenyan Isiaih Kiplagat, who would have to agree to let one candidate go through to represent the African continent.
“I will try and talk to them but they have to sit and agree. Kalkaba is already in the council as IAAF representative and so might want to Kiplagat to be the vice-president.
“However, if Kalkaba decides to go ahead and he succeeds, it would be best to look for a successor.
“Anyway this is a problem for Africa to resolve.
“I will only step in if they seek my help.”
NAN.