The 144th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session has begun, and the world is waiting to see who will take over as the next president of the IOC. But before the Olympic baton is passed, there is a moment of reflection—on a decade of transformation, triumphs, and turmoil under the leadership of Thomas Bach.
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00:00As rain fell over the ancient ruins of Olympia, the 144th IOC session began,
00:07marking the end of an era and the start of another.
00:11Under grey skies, delegates from around the world gathered to elect a new president to lead the Olympic movement.
00:18Thomas Bach took the stage one last time.
00:21This is exactly what this IOC session is about.
00:28A sacred pilgrimage to our ancient past.
00:33An homage to our modern origins and to our founder.
00:40And a manifestation of our faith in the future, when we will elect a new president.
00:50As Bach honoured the past and looked to the future, he highlighted the challenges of his tenure.
00:56Keeping the Olympics relevant meant balancing tradition with progress,
01:01gender equality, innovation and the ever-changing sports landscape.
01:06These agendas, whether it's the Olympic Agenda 2020, whether it's the Plus Five,
01:13whether it's the Olympic Artificial Intelligence Agenda, they're all jigsaw puzzles.
01:21And so, you know, the whole picture has two feet.
01:28Under Bach's leadership, the Games evolved.
01:31More women competing, new sports drawing in young fans.
01:35But just as momentum built, the world shut down.
01:39A global pandemic, empty stadiums, uncertainty.
01:43Still, Bach made sure the Games went on.
01:46What was more difficult to organise in the interest and for the sake of the athletes,
01:53the Olympic Games in Tokyo during a pandemic,
01:57or managing to get the athletes from all the 206 NOCs to Paris without any boycott.
02:06Bach knew the challenges weren't over.
02:09From the pandemic and political tensions to financial hurdles.
02:14Keeping the Olympic movement united wasn't an easy job.
02:18Yet, through it all, the Games endured.
02:21And now, as athletes prepare for next year's Winter Olympic Games in Milan,
02:26his impact is clear.
02:28With his position, he was setting the tone of what was going to happen.
02:33And, of course, things were happening.
02:35Under his leadership, he was guiding us, he was guiding the Olympic movement.
02:40And I felt always safe and secure under the leadership of Thomas Bach.
02:46Now, as the Olympic movement enters a new chapter, who will carry the torch?
02:52Bach's decade at the helm reshaped the Games,
02:56balancing tradition with change and keeping the Olympic flame going.
03:00Evangelos Tsipsas for CGTN, Kostas Navarino, Greece.