Sebastian Coe warns against political interference in sport: 'Keep politicians on the bus but not behind the wheel'

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe delivered a forceful defence of sporting independence at the 2026 European Championships, warning that global sports bodies must resist political interference, oppose the IOC's re-integration of Russia, and tread carefully with private equity investors.

Speaking in the wake of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Coe laid out a clear red line: governments should fund infrastructure but never dictate competitive outcomes.

'Keep politicians on the bus but not behind the wheel'

Coe's overarching message was that politicians must be kept "on the bus but not anywhere near the steering wheel" of sport . He described government funding of sports infrastructure as "entirely legitimate," but said direct phone calls to influence sporting outcomes cross an unacceptable red line .

The remarks were triggered by a controversy at the FIFA World Cup, where U.S. President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of a red-card suspension for U.S. striker Folarin Balogun . FIFA subsequently delayed the ban by a year, allowing Balogun to play in the knockout match against Belgium . Coe pointed to this episode — along with the broader Infantino-Trump relationship — as a prime example of why sporting bodies must resist letting politicians dictate competitive decisions .

Speaking specifically to the LA 2028 organisers, Coe urged cooperation with government on logistics and funding while maintaining "steering wheel" independence .

Coe opposes IOC's lifting of Russia's suspension

Coe firmly disagreed with the IOC's July 2026 decision to provisionally lift the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, a move that opened the door for Russia's return at LA 2028 . He stated that World Athletics' position "hasn't altered" — the governing body continues to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes from all its competitions, even as the IOC moved toward reintegration .

Coe pledged to personally defend World Athletics' sanctions in court after Russia's athletics federation filed a new challenge at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing the sanctions are "selective and politicised" .

"Our position hasn't altered," Coe told reporters. "We will always defend the integrity and the trust that we've developed in our sport."

Private equity: a cautious embrace

Coe acknowledged that private equity is playing a growing role in track and field and confirmed that World Athletics has been holding talks with global investment funds . However, he framed this cautiously, noting that for the past decade "private equity and global investment funds have circled sport" .

The key question, Coe argued, is whether such investment serves the sport's integrity or undermines it. He made clear that private equity must not erode sporting governance or autonomy .

His remarks came amid a broader storm around FIFA's now-failed plan to create a $20 billion subsidiary and sell stakes of up to 20% in future World Cups to outside investors — a move that drew sharp condemnation from UEFA and contributed to FIFA's current credibility crisis .

The broader context: FIFA's credibility crisis

Coe's triad of warnings — political interference, Russia's return, and private equity — all circled back to the governance crisis enveloping FIFA. Coe's pointed references to the Infantino-Trump relationship and the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise plan suggested that World Athletics was positioning itself as the principled alternative to FIFA's approach, particularly as Coe is also a candidate to succeed Thomas Bach as IOC President .