IOC chief congratulates Coe on IAAF victory

Seoul: Olympics chief Thomas Bach congratulated Sebastian Coe on his election Wednesday as new president of world athletics body the IAAF, saying the two-time Olympic 1500m gold medallist would be a strong partner in the fight against doping.

Speaking during a visit to South Korea to review preparations for the 2018 Winter Games, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Bach said he was "very confident" Coe would make an effective athletics supremo.

"I`m sure that Sebastian Coe will do an excellent job and will join the IOC in our zero tolerance policy against doping, and our policy to protect clean athletes, because this is where we both are coming from," Bach told reporters in Seoul.

"We have a long history together," the former Olympic fencing champion said of Coe, recalling how the two became active founder members of the IOC Athletes Commission in 1981.

Coe beat Sergey Bubka in a tight race for the top IAAF post, and Bach also congratulated the former pole vault champion from Ukraine on his re-election as one of the federation`s vice presidents.

"I`m confident the two will form an excellent team to represent this important sport," he said.