Japan candidate for IOC chief calls for Summer Olympics on 5 continents

Seven candidates for the successor to Thomas Bach as president of the International Olympic Committee gave presentations behind closed doors at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland on January 30.

S/Watanabe Morinari, president of the International Gymnastics Federation, is the first Japanese to run for the position.

He called for holding the Summer Games simultaneously on five continents to reduce the burden on host cities.

Watanabe also said the IOC should expand its activities beyond the Olympics to overall sports.

S/ Watanabe Morinari, International Gymnastics Federation President / I would allow the IOC to offer the best possible conditions for each sport and first for the athletes.

Other candidates include Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, and IOC Vice President Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior.

The election for the next IOC president will take place in March.