International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has saluted Pope Francis following his death, describing him as “a great friend and supporter of the Olympic Movement” before hailing his unwavering commitment to peace, solidarity and inclusion through sport.
Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, the Holy See announced on Monday. The pontiff had been discharged from hospital on 23 March after nearly 40 days of treatment for a severe case of pneumonia. According to medical sources, he came close to death twice during his treatment.
Doctors had prescribed two months of complete rest. However, the Pope made short trips from his residence at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, including visits to St Peter’s Basilica.
On 20 April, Francis made his last public appearance, waving to crowds from the popemobile in St Peter’s Square during Easter celebrations.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, Francis was elected pope in 2013 following the resignation of Benedict XVI – the first pontiff in six centuries to step down. Benedict served as pope emeritus until his death in December 2022.
Pope Francis, the first Jesuit and the first Latin American to hold the papacy, had a long-standing relationship with the world of sport and frequently highlighted the role of sport in promoting dialogue and inclusion. He met with Olympic delegations and international sports leaders on several occasions.
“With the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, we are losing a great friend and supporter of the Olympic Movement,” Bach said in a statement. “His support for the peace and solidarity mission of the Olympic Gamesand for the IOC’s many refugee initiatives was unwavering. Rest in peace.”
Bach, who will step down in June and be succeeded by Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry, expressed his gratitude for Pope Francis’s support throughout his 12-year papacy. “I came to know His Holiness as a thoughtful intellectual — humble, with a wonderful sense of humour,” he said. “His deep passion for sport and the Olympic values was always evident,” added the 71-year-old.
Their last meeting took place in January 2025 during a private audience at the Vatican, where the two men spoke informally about the transformative power of sport in building a better society. During the meeting, the IOC President shared the achievements of the Refugee Olympic Team at the Paris 2024 Games, where the team won its first Olympic medal. Bach also updated the Pope on the progress of the Olympic Refuge Foundation in 2017, which has reached more than 800,000 young people worldwide.
The Pope expressed his gratitude for the IOC’s efforts and praised “all that Bach has done for peace and solidarity”. He has also included sport in the official programme for the Jubilee Year 2025, with a special initiative entitled “Sport Generates Hope” to be held in Rome on 14 and 15 June.
The Pope’s commitment to the Olympic ideal was perhaps most visible in July 2024, just days before the opening of the Paris Games, when he made a heartfelt global appeal for an Olympic truce. Speaking to pilgrims in St Peter’s Square during his Sunday Angelus, he urged warring nations to honour the ancient Greek tradition of a truce during the Games.
“Sport has great social power, capable of peacefully uniting people of different cultures,” he said. “I hope this event can be a sign of the inclusive world we want to build, and that athletes can be messengers of peace and effective role models, especially for young people.” Referring to ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar and other regions, the Pope added: “Let us not forget that war is defeat”.
