Sawt Falasteen - Prince Feisal Al-Hussein says he can 'bridge gap' in Olympic movement

The 61-year-old brother of King Abdullah II is a familiar face at the IOC but believes he can offer something radically different to the other six candidates bidding to succeed Thomas Bach of Germany.

"All the previous presidents have been either from Europe or from the US. We need to have people that can understand the globe and can better bridge between East and West, from the global South and the North," the prince said in a round table session with international media this week.

"That's part of me. Culturally I am eastern, but I was also western-educated. I can help bridge that divide."

The 61-year-old wasted no time in tackling the question of why a prince would want to put himself on the line -- and under scrutiny -- to bid to become arguably the most powerful person in sport.

"I was born into a family where service was a lifelong commitment and it was something that you were brought up with," he said.

"My late father used to say, 'if you can do something to change the world, to make it a better place, then it is your duty to be able to do so'.

"The Olympic movement is an extension of my lifetime in service. All the experiences I've had have culminated in a position where I can serve the Olympic movement."

One of the thorniest questions he would face as Olympic chief would be whether to fully re-admit Russia to the fold.

Russia was banned from the Paris Olympics last year over the invasion of Ukraine, which President Vladimir Putin launched in 2022 days after the Beijing Winter Olympics closed.

- 'Fundamental values' -

Following the invasion, Russia moved to incorporate the sports federations of four Ukrainian regions, in a breach of the Olympic Charter.

"The issue of why Russia has been sanctioned, whether some people agree with it or disagree with it, was because of a violation of the Olympic Charter," the prince said.

"If there is an opportunity, I believe in inclusion, not exclusion… so ultimately I would love for them to return but the Olympic Charter is what governs us all in the Olympic movement.

"Unless the membership decide to change the Charter, as president I will defend (it).

"So if there is a respect for the Olympic Charter and no violation, why should I sanction them?

"Whether that involves issues of ceasefire (in Ukraine) or whatever, that is for politicians to solve."

Any new IOC president will have to work with US President Donald Trump, with Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics and Salt Lake City awarded the 2034 Winter Games.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been accused of taking a partisan approach to Trump after attending his inauguration, but the prince said he would not engage in "cheerleading".

"I am not willing to sacrifice the fundamental values that I have just to appease an individual," he said.

"If on the other hand this is what the IOC believes is the right way to move forward, then I am willing to respect that."

He said Trump was "a great sports lover" who would not stand in the way of the Olympics.

"He has supported LA and he will support Salt Lake City."

The prince and his fellow candidates including former Olympic swimmer Kirsty Coventry, track and field icon and World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe and IOC veteran Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior will give presentations to IOC members in Lausanne on Thursday.

The new president will be elected at an IOC session in Greece on March 18-21.

K.Hassan--SF-PST