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3d ago

Kirsty Coventry Becomes First Female and African President of IOC

Having received the golden key from Thomas Bach, she plans to convene a two-day IOC workshop to gather members’ input on the movement’s next priorities.

Olympics - Kirsty Coventry takes over as the new International Olympic Committee President - IOC headquarters, Lausanne, Switzerland - June 23, 2025 New IOC president Kirsty Coventry during the ceremony REUTERS/Pierre Albouy
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Incoming IOC president Kirsty Coventry has shown she will be no pushover for world leaders

Overview

  • Coventry succeeded Thomas Bach at a ceremony in Lausanne on June 23 and begins an eight-year term as the IOC’s tenth president.
  • At 41, she is the youngest IOC president since the organization’s 1896 founding under Pierre de Coubertin.
  • A seven-time Olympic medallist and former Zimbabwean sports minister, she brings both athlete insight and governance experience to the role.
  • She emphasized the need for unity across the Olympic movement, likening its cohesion to the strength of a spider web.
  • She will host a two-day workshop to gather IOC members’ feedback on priorities ranging from revenue management to the reintegration of Russian athletes and the protection of female sports categories.