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Kirsty Coventry has made history as the newly elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), marking a groundbreaking moment as the first woman and the first African to hold the prestigious position. She is also its youngest ever president. The Zimbabwean sports minister and 7-time Olympic medalist in swimming triumphed over six other candidates at last week’s election in Greece, securing the role after a competitive vote among IOC members.
Coventry earned the necessary majority of votes across the 97 IOC members, becoming the 10th president in the IOC’s 131-year history. She succeeds Thomas Bach, who served the maximum term of 12 years. Her victory comes with an eight-year mandate, extending through to 2033. The 41-year-old retired competitive swimmer stated that her election signals a “truly global” direction for the IOC. “It’s a big step for us as a global community… It’s not just my success; it is our success. We broke down barriers,” she said, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity in the Olympic movement.
“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,” said Coventry.
The IOC notes Coventry’s win as a milestone for gender equality in the Olympic movement. Her election adds to Bach’s legacy of advancing gender parity within the IOC, a commitment that has seen greater women representation within the committee and equal athlete quotas for men and women at the Paris 2024 Games. As the first African woman to head the IOC, Coventry’s rise to the presidency encourages greater diversity and inclusion within global sports governance.
While progress has been made, there is still much work to do, however. According to the Sport Integrity Global Alliance and UN Women, women hold only 26.9% of executive positions in international sports federations. Only 3 out of 31 International Sports Federations have women as presidents and just 24 out of 206 National Olympic Committees are chaired by women. And it wasn’t until 2012 that the IOC allowed women to compete in all sports during the Olympic Games.
During her acceptance speech, Coventry promised to uphold the values of the IOC and make her supporters proud. “Now, we have got some work together,” she stated, looking ahead to the challenges that await her, including overseeing the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and guiding the IOC through political and sporting challenges.
The formal transition of power will take place on June 23, coinciding with Olympic Day celebrations.
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