In a speech delivered at the Olympic Museum, the highest authority of the IOC highlighted the sport's capacity to bring people together, especially in times of division: "The current geopolitical tensions are extremely complex. In such moments, the unifying power of sport is more important than ever," noted Bach.

In the same vein, he expressed, "Today, millions of people worldwide yearn for a unifying force that brings us all together in our confrontational world. Our role is clear: to unite and not deepen divisions. Therefore, we bear a significant responsibility: to come together using the power of sport and fulfill our shared mission of making the world a better place through sport."

On the other hand, he expressed concern about the growing danger of separation and disunity in sports, considering it to be undermined "not to say attacked, by one government or another." He also stated, "The autonomy of sport, its autonomy as an International Sports Federation, is threatened. The actions of these divisive political forces would effectively mean they assume their role as International Federations. Some want to decide which athletes can compete in which competitions. Others want to decide where their competitions can take place. Still, others want to organize their own political sports events. Especially the latter would mean a governmental takeover of international sports. If they succeed in this, their role and the role of the Olympic Movement would become obsolete."

Regarding this, the President clarified that if the desired separation were achieved, real world championships would no longer be possible because competitions would only take place among politically aligned blocs, making it impossible for sports to serve as a unifying force for humanity as a whole. He also urged against participating in sports events guided or motivated by political reasons rather than strictly sporting ones.

"Sports would become part of the confrontation and division in our world," said Thomas Bach, emphasizing, "For all these reasons, I urge all of you to oppose politicized sport. None of us should participate in any way in sports events motivated politically."

Before concluding his welcome speech at the IF Forum before 300 leaders from over 125 IFs and addressing various topics such as the challenges of the IOC in the face of advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and esports, he expressed optimism about the future: "The Paris 2024 Olympic Games can be a 'symbol of unity and peace' that will bring the world together despite the divisive political climate.