Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry has been elected as the first female president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to replace the long-serving Thomas Bach after securing a landslide victory today.
Coventry, who becomes the 10th IOC president and the first from Africa, was elected at the 144th IOC Session in Greece after the first round of voting, securing a majority vote from the IOC members.
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Coventry received 49 of the 97 votes and won handsomely. The closest challenger was Juan Antonio Samaranch with 28 votes.
Sebastian Coe, who was considered by many to be the main challenger to Coventry, received just eight votes.
David Lappartient and Morinari Watanabe received four votes each, while Prince Feisal Al Hussein and Johan Eliasch received two each.
The president is elected by the IOC members by secret ballot for a term of eight years.
At 41, the Zimbabwean, a two-time Olympic swimming champion, is also the youngest-ever IOC president.
President-elect Coventry said: “I am incredibly honored 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.
“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 will succeed Bach, whose 12-year tenure will officially end after June 23.
After the election, Bach said: “Congratulations to Kirsty Coventry on her election as the 10th IOC president. 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.”
Earlier today, Bach was elected honorary president for life of the IOC, a position he will take up when his term of office ends.
The 71-year-old had already announced he will resign as an IOC member when he hands over power to his successor.
He could have remained a committee member until 2033 when he turns 80, having first joined in 1991 but chose not to remain after ending his presidency.
Bach’s announcement last year that he would not run for re-election after the conclusion of his second term came despite reports that the IOC was looking into changing its statutes to allow him to stay on for a third term
Currently, the president is limited to two terms totaling 12 years (eight years followed by four years).
Bach became the ninth president after being elected in 2013 and secured a second term in 2021.
During his tenure, Bach guided the IOC through three summer and three Winter Olympics, including the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021.
Bach has had a major impact on the Olympic body, with 60% of its income growth coming since he was elected in 2013.
The IOC this week announced commercial revenues of $7.7 billion between 2021 and 2024 to illustrate its strong financial position.
Elsewhere, Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant, IOC member in Belgium, has been elected as an IOC vice president, while three-time Olympic champion and president of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee Tony Estanguet was elected as an IOC member.
In other developments, Spyros Capralos, the president of the European Olympic Committees, and Octavian Morariu, president of Rugby Europe, were newly elected to the IOC executive board, with Emma Terho, chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission, and Kristin Kloster re-elected.
