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| - Sebastian Coe, the head of World Athletics, was voted in as a member of the International Olympic Committee on Friday after being turned down several times. Coe, the two-time Olympic 1,500 metres champion for Britain who became head of athletics' world governing body in 2015, was blocked from membership as recently as December over a conflict of interest. But Coe changed his role at the CSM company he is currently running as managing director to a passive position, thus paving the way to IOC membership. Coe's belated entry into the IOC club is significant because he has been mentioned as a potential future president of the Olympic movement. Voting at the IOC Session, held virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic, saw 85 valid votes with six abstentions: 77 voted to approve Coe's membership, with eight voting against. Also approved for individual IOC membership were Princess Reema Bandar al-Saud, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, former Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Cuban Olympic Committee (COC) board member Maria de la Caridad Colon Ruenes and acting Mongolian National Olympic Committee president Battushig Batbold. lp/nr
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