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Zimbabwean Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry has been elected as the new president of the International Olympic President (IOC), replacing Thomas Bach who steps down in June after a 12-year-term.
The 41-year-old former Olympic swimmer and gold medallist – who is Africa’s most decorated Olympian – is the first woman, the first African and the youngest person to hold the role.
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Her first tournament in the role will be the Milano Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in February 2026, followed by the LA Summer games in July 2028.
President-elect Coventry said: “I am incredibly honoured and excited to be elected as President of the International Olympic Committee! I want to sincerely thank my fellow members for their trust and support.
“The young girl who first started swimming in Zimbabwe all those years ago could never have dreamt of this moment.
“I am particularly proud to be the first female IOC President, and also the first from Africa. I hope that this vote will be an inspiration to many people. Glass ceilings have been shattered today, and I am fully aware of my responsibilities as a role model.
“Sport has an unmatched power to unite, inspire and create opportunities for all, and I am committed to making sure we harness that power to its fullest. Together with the entire Olympic family, including our athletes, fans and sponsors, we will build on our strong foundations, embrace innovation, and champion the values of friendship, excellence and respect. The future of the Olympic Movement is bright, and I can’t wait to get started!”
Coventry beat other hot contender Sebastian Coe, the UK’s two-time Olympic 1500m champion, who oversaw the London 2012 Games before taking charge of World Athletics.
She is the 10th person to hold the position after Bach.
Voting took place during the IOC’s 144th session in a luxury hotel in the beach resort of Costa Navarino in Greece, close to Olympia, the birthplace of the ancient games which inspired the modern-day tournament.
Described as the sport world’s equivalent of the Vatican’s conclave voting procedure for a new pope, the election was preceded by intense lobbying campaigns by all the candidates.
The other candidates included Spanish businessman Juan Antonio Samaranch, who is currently the IOC’s vice-president; Sweden-born businessman and ski federation president Johan Eliasch; Japan’s Morinari Watanabe – head of the international gymnastics federation; French cycling chief David Lappartient and Jordanian Prince Feisal al-Hussein.
Key issues on the table included the inclusion of transgender women in female sporting categories, how to modernise the games and make them sustainable and environmentally friendly and the embrace of technology.
Bach steps down from the position of president at high point for the games following the highly successful Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, which marked a return to force for the international tournament after the difficult Covid-19 pandemic years.
Coventry was reportedly his preferred candidate as his successor.
“I warmly welcome the decision of the IOC Members and look forward to strong cooperation, particularly during the transition period. There is no doubt that the future for our Olympic Movement is bright and that the values we stand for will continue to guide us through the years to come,” he said in response to her election.
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