In a groundbreaking election, Kirsty Coventry has been chosen as the first female and African president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), defeating six male candidates, including Britain’s Lord Coe.
Coventry, a 41-year-old former swimmer from Zimbabwe, secured a majority of 49 out of 97 votes in the first round of Thursday’s election. She will replace Thomas Bach, who has led the IOC since 2013, on June 23 and become the youngest president in the organization’s 130-year history.
This historic election sends a “powerful signal” about the IOC’s commitment to diversity and global representation, according to Coventry. “It’s a signal that we’re truly global and that we have evolved into an organization that is truly open to diversity,” she said.
Coventry, who won two Olympic gold medals and seven of Zimbabwe’s eight Olympic medals, promised to make IOC members proud of their choice. Her first Olympics as president will be the Milan-Cortina Winter Games in February 2026.
During her election campaign, Coventry pledged to modernize, promote sustainability, embrace technology, and empower athletes.
She also emphasized the importance of protecting female sport, backing a blanket ban on transgender women competing in female Olympic sports.
Coventry’s election has been congratulated by various leaders, including Lord Coe, who said, “We have an athlete at the helm of the organization… This is a very good result for the athletes.”
British Olympic Association CEO Andy Anson also congratulated Coventry, saying, “We know her well and look forward to working together to grow the Olympic movement’s global relevance and commercial success.”
Coventry’s victory has also sparked hope in Russia, which has been banned from competing under its own flag since 2016 due to a state-run doping scandal and the war in Ukraine. Russian sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev wrote, “We look forward to a stronger, more independent, and more prosperous Olympic movement under a new leader, and to Russia returning to the Olympic podium.”
As Coventry prepares to take on her new role, she acknowledged the challenges posed by geopolitical issues but emphasized the importance of communication and unity.
“The IOC and the Olympic movement have lasted so many generations because it brings people together and the diversity is a unifying way for us to connect with each other,” she said.
