The former Royal Belgian Hockey Association (KBHB) President is scheduled to contend for the position for a second time following the resignation of India's Narinder Batra.

Coudron came within two votes of beating the Indian in last year's election, losing 61 to 63, though he has returned to have another shot at being elected with the FIH Congress scheduled for November 4 to 5.

Speaking to insidethegames, he suggested that there are three tiers of hockey nations, with the first being where the sport is "very popular and is easy to manage".

However, the second and third-tier countries need greater support to produce better coaches, players, infrastructure and hockey fields.

At the mention of hockey fields, Coudron began to criticise water-based hockey pitches due to the thousands of litres of water they use before the game and at half-time.

Coudron said that this is "not acceptable", citing environmental sustainability implications, and he wants to work with other International Federations, such as FIFA and World Rugby, to revolutionise sport fields.

"We have to put the pressure on the manufacturers to build new hockey pitches and sport pitches without water," he said.

"Not now, but within five years, 10 years and 15 years, it will be a scandal to water the pitches like it is now.

"It is already so difficult for some countries to water pitches.

"That's not only for the FIH but a crucial point for all the sports playing on water-based pitches."

Sporting development - alongside improving the FIH finances and becoming a leading federation in governance, transparency, inclusion and integrity - are key parts of Coudron's campaign.

The ex-hockey international, who made more than 300 appearances for Belgium, is taking inspiration from the success that catapulted Belgium to European, world and Olympic gold between 2018 and 2021.

The scale of Belgium's 2018 World Cup triumph is highlighted by the fact they had never even qualified for the knockout phase of the competition prior to winning the tournament.

Belgium also did not qualify for seven consecutive Olympic Games between 1980 and 2004, before finishing as runners-up at Rio 2016 and then going on to win gold at Tokyo 2020.

"It [development] is a never ending story," Coudron said.

"We have incredible possibilities and incredible potential.

"Hockey has to challenge that and to focus on the best objectives.

"I am sure we have everything in hands to develop like Belgian hockey.

"In Belgium, hockey was [previously] not so popular."

"When I was a player, we were an average team.

"We had 16,000 members in 2005 and we are now nearly 60,000.

"Of course, it is not a copy-paste programme.

"It is not possible.

"I really want to be inspired by what we have done in Belgium."

Coudron refuses to take the plaudits for the transformation under his tenure, citing the role of others in Belgium's rise to the top.

The Belgian said that the way he likes to work is to surround himself with "more intelligent people" than himself and to create a "confrontation of idealists" culture.

He remarked: "I know that I can have some good ideas but I know people around me have better ideas and we have to share that and to find the best solutions together."

Nevertheless, Coudron's administrative experience is impressive.

Beyond his long reign as KBHB President, he sat as a member on the FIH Executive Board between 2010 and 2018 and he was a member of the European Hockey Federation Competitions Committee from 2006 to 2014.

He is also a former member of the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee Executive Board and a private banker.

Pakistan-born official Tayyab Ikram is his sole opponent for the FIH Presidency.

Ikram is the chief executive of the Asian Hockey Federation and has worked with Formula Three, the Beach Volleyball World Tour as well as the International Olympic Committee on its Olympic Solidarity Commission.

Coudron claims he only "want to make steps forward" and he has little interest of "becoming President to be President."

Instead, the Belgian official has a different view on leadership.

"Not to be surrounded by yes-men and yes-woman, but to be surrounded by challengers and people who are there to say 'Marc, I don't agree with you'," he commented.

"We talk together and find better solutions.

"That is what I wanted to do for Belgium and that is what we can do at the FIH.

"To break the limits or limitations that we think we have in the world of hockey.

"Of course, we are not football or rugby, but why not in the future become a bigger sport?"