Former World and Olympics record holder in swimming, Kirsty Coventry, has been elected as the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), becoming the first woman and African to ever be elected to the position.
Coventry, who would be celebrating his 42nd birthday next six months, will also be the youngest ever to assume the role and came through a field of seven contenders in the seaside resort of Costa Navarino in Greece to land the most powerful job in world sport.
The Zimbabwean will officially take up the role on June 24, after incumbent president, Thomas Bach, stepped down following a 12-year spell in charge.
The Olympic rings are seen outside the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the opening day of a executive board meeting in Lausanne on March 19, 2024. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
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Coventry will arrive at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty around the globe, question marks over the direction of the Olympic movement in the 21st century, and more scrutiny than ever on issues concerning gender identity and equality, among others.
“This is an extraordinary moment. As an nine-year girl, I never thought I would be standing up here one day getting to give back to this incredible movement of ours,” Coventry said after her election.
Before becoming a member of the IOC, she was a standout athlete for Zimbabwe. Coventry has won seven of the country’s eight Olympic medals to date.
The first round of voting on Thursday in Greece didn’t proceed without issues though, with numerous voters complaining about problems with their technological voting systems. At one point, IOC director general Christophe De Kepper – who was hosting the voting – humorously said that a member was “testing his patience” with his complaints.
To the surprise of many, the voting was quickly closed after the first round with a winner already reaching the absolute majority (50% + one vote) mark needed.
And after a 30-minute break, Coventry was announced as Bach’s replacement and the 10th president of the IOC; of the 97 votes, Coventry received 49, while second-placed Juan Antonio Samaranch got 28.
“This is not just a huge honor, but it’s also a reminder of my commitment to every single one of you that I will lead this organization with so much pride with the values at the core and I will make all of you very, very proud and extremely confident in the decision that you’ve taken today,” Coventry said.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and now, we’ve got some work together. This race was an incredible race and it made us better, made us a stronger movement.”
Coventry’s first major event to oversee will be the Milan-Cortina Winter Games next year in Italy, with the Opening Ceremony less than 11 months away.
In her manifesto for the IOC presidency, Coventry stated she hopes to make sport “a bridge between countries and cultures, a source of hope and a force for good.”
She also stressed her commitment to addressing inequality in sports, “which also means strengthening women’s sports by protecting female athletes and promoting equal opportunities for women at all levels of our movement.”
