Olympic Powerbroker John Coates Resigns from Court of Arbitration for Sport Following Cancer Treatment
LAUSANNE, Switzerland – John Coates, a veteran figure in the Olympic movement, has stepped down from his position as President of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) due to health reasons following a six-month course of chemotherapy treatment for cancer, the court announced Monday.
According to a statement released by CAS, Coates indicated that his current health does not permit the necessary international travel required to fulfill the duties of the presidency.
The 75-year-old Australian lawyer served as an influential Vice President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was a close confidant of former IOC President Thomas Bach until his IOC membership concluded last year. His involvement with the IOC began in 2001, following his oversight of the bidding and organizing committees for the highly prosperous Sydney Olympics.
Coates’s position within the IOC was widely considered instrumental in securing Brisbane’s expedited selection as the host city for the 2032 Summer Olympic Games.He initially joined the CAS management board, known as ICAS, before being elected President in 2010.
Michael Lenard, the board’s Senior Vice President and a former United States handball Olympian (1984 Los Angeles Games), will assume the role of interim leader. A formal election for a permanent President is scheduled for May 2027.
This marks the end of a significant chapter in Olympic governance,as Coates’s influence has been felt across multiple decades and pivotal decisions within both the IOC and CAS.
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