BERLIN -- International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach will resign as member of the Olympic body after handing over the reins to his presidential successor in June, it was announced Wednesday.
Bach, an Olympic fencing champion in 1976, steps down from his post this year after 12 years in charge. A new president will be elected at the IOC session on March 20 in Greece, and Bach's resignation will be official on June 23.
The IOC Executive Board on Wednesday agreed to accept Bach's resignation as an IOC member.
Bach, 71, could have stayed on as a member until the age of 80, having joined the IOC in 1991.
There are seven candidates to succeed Bach as president: World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe; multiple Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry, who is Zimbabwe's sports minister; Spaniard Juan Antonio Samaranch, son of the late former IOC president; International cycling chief David Lappartient; Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan; International Gymnastics Federation head Morinari Watanabe; and Olympic newcomer and multimillionaire Johan Eliasch, who heads the International Ski Federation.