Thomas Bach's Presidential Legacy and the Future of the New Olympic Era

After Thomas Bach succeeded Jacques Rogge and became the 9th President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), he divided the IOC members into working groups, coming up with Olympic Agenda 2020 – a strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement. Through his 12 years of presidency, his motto was “change or be change” with Olympic Agenda being the tool to do so. With the public losing faith in hosting Olympic Games, the unprecedented restrictions and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and wars in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, the Olympic Movement faced ongoing turmoil through Bach's presidency. Olympic Agenda could not solve all issues, yet Paris 2024 proved that, despite all the challenges and complexities, the Olympic Games can still be relevant and successful. Bach's legacy is complex, but change was part of what he preached for, including endorsing Kirsty Coventry as his own successor, who became the first female and African IOC President. This chapter discusses the legacy of Thomas Bach and the state of the new era of the Olympic Movement amid upcoming socioeconomic, geopolitical, and environmental complexities.