Thomas Bach made honorary IOC president for life

Outgoing International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has become the second person to be named honorary IOC preisdent for life.

The 144th IOC Session approved an according proposal from the IOC executive board in March for "exceptional services" by acclamation and cheers to bestow the honour to a visibly moved Bach who will step down after 12 years on June 23.

His successor is set to be elected on Thursday from seven candidates.

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The only other honorary IOC president for life is the Juan Antonio Samaranch, who led the IOC 1980-2001 and died in 2010.

Dozens of IOC members praised Bach's leadership, with Spain's former basketball great Pau Gasol speaking of an "incredible appreciation for everything you have done for our movement" and for "encouraging and challenging us to do more."

Long-time American IOC member Anite DeFrantz named Bach "extraordinarily tough and extraordinarily kind."

A tearful Bach said: "I am really overwhelmed and indeed extremely grateful to all the words you have expressed after granting me this honour.

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"I do this with great humility. This is not the work of one man but of all of us," the 1976 fencing gold medallist said

"The gold medal changed my life and as IOC president I could help others change their life. Now I can say I have given to this Olympic Movement what I could give back."

Germany's Bach, a fencing gold medallist from 1976, oversaw wide-ranging reforms in the bidding process and hosting of the Olympic Games during his tenure, and a transformation into the digital era.

He also had to deal with Russian state doping, the Ukraine war and the coronavirus pandemic leading to the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Games.

IOC members had in 2023 asked Bach to seek a third term, which would have required a change of the Olympic Charter, but he declined at the end of last year's successful Paris Games.