IOC president Bach not to seek 3rd term

PARIS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach announced on Saturday that he will not seek to take charge of the organization for a third term.

"New times are calling for new leaders," Bach told IOC members at the closing of the 142nd IOC Session in the French capital.

The IOC chief said that he would "ask the Executive Board to schedule the election for March 2025, and the beginning of the mandate of the new President for 24 June 2025."

This is in order to "ensure a smooth transition, to hand over the steering wheel of our ship to my best possible successor, whom you will choose," he added.

The next IOC Session is scheduled to take place from 18 to 21 March 2025 in Athens, Greece.