Kirsty Coventry becomes first woman to lead International Olympic Committee

With Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Olympics, the new IOC chief will have to deal with US President Donald Trump (Etienne LAURENT)

Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry became the first woman and African to be elected president of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday, saying it was an "extraordinary moment".

At 41, the two-time Olympic swimming champion is also the youngest ever person elected to the most powerful position in sports governance.

Coventry succeeds the German Thomas Bach, who steps down after 12 years, and told her fellow IOC members she would work with the six other heavyweight rivals she beat in the election.

"This is an extraordinary moment. As a nine-year-old girl I never thought that I would be standing up here one day, getting to give back to this incredible movement of ours," Coventry said.

"This is not just a huge honour but it is a reminder to every single one of you that I will lead this organisation with so much pride, with the values at the core and I will make all of you very, very proud and, I hope, extremely confident in the decision you've taken today.

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Coventry, who was strongly believed to be Bach's favoured candidate, was thought to be in a tight-run race with IOC veteran Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior and World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe.

However, to general surprise the race was over after the first round of voting.

A majority of the IOC members placed their faith in her to meet the serious challenges that lie ahead.

Coventry received 49 of the 97 votes possible, with Samaranch obtaining 28 and Coe third with eight votes.

Samaranch was bidding to emulate his father of the same name who led the Olympic movement for 21 years and World Athletics president Coe was seeking to become the first Briton.

Ski federation chief Johan Eliasch, Morinari Watanabe, president of the international gymnastics federation, cycling head David Lappartient and Prince Feisal al-Hussein were the other four candidates.

On Monday, Bach refused to be drawn on whether he backed Coventry, saying only that a new era "requires new leaders".

- Geopolitical hurdles -

Coventry said during her campaign that if she won it would be a huge moment for Africa as it would show "we're ready to lead".

She will take over a financially secure IOC but those calm waters are muddied by a febrile geopolitical situation.

Coventry will have to deal with US President Donald Trump as Los Angeles hosts the next Summer Olympics in 2028.

Samaranch Junior had argued that in this "very complex world", where previously undisputed truths such as "universality, fraternity and unity" are now questioned, it was no time to take a leap in the dark.

The 65-year-old Spaniard, an assured and polished performer with over two decades as an IOC member, argued he would provide the steady hand at the tiller that is required.

"It is not about the face or the gender, or the continent," he told AFP.

But IOC members chose a new face.

Coe appeared to be seen by Bach as the disruptor candidate, which is perhaps surprising given many would view him as an establishment figure.

His low score will be a bitter blow to the two-time 1,500 metres Olympic champion whose is accustomed to success.

Coe, 68, became a lawmaker for the centre-right Conservatives and led London's successful bid to host the 2012 Games.

He then oversaw the highly-praised hosting of those Olympics and has been credited with reforming track and field's global body since becoming president in 2015.

Coe argued the IOC needs to do more "to create true and genuine commercial partners out of our athletes".

One of the major problems the new president will face will be the return to the Olympic fold of Russia. In Paris last year their athletes were forced to competed under a neutral banner, owing to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

"We hope obviously the principle 'sport outside of politics' will carry the day," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. "We hope the IOC will improve the situation regarding that."

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Kirsty Coventry elected first woman president of Olympic movement

Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry became the first woman and African to be elected president of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday, declaring it to be an "extraordinary moment"."This is an ...
Yahoo Sports - 7h
Kirsty Coventry elected IOC president and is first woman, first African to lead global Olympic body

Kirsty Coventry was elected president of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday and became the first woman and first African to get perhaps the biggest job in world sports.
NBC News - 6h
Kirsty Coventry elected as first woman and first African to lead IOC

Kirsty Coventry has been elected president of the International Olympic Committee.
CBS News - 5h
Kirsty Coventry becomes first female president of International Olympic Committee

Kirsty Coventry, 41, of Zimbabwe becomes the first woman to lead the IOC. She is eligible to serve up to a 12-year term.
Yahoo Sports - 7h
Coventry the first woman elected as IOC pres.

Kirsty Coventry has been elected president of the International Olympic Committee, becoming the first woman and first African to hold the post.
ESPN - 4h
Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry elected to lead the International Olympic Committee

First woman IOC president could preside over Utah’s 2034 Winter Games.
Yahoo Sports - 7h
Kirsty Coventry elected first female president of International Olympic Committee

Kirsty Coventry succeeds Thomas Bach, whose term ended after 12 years in the role.
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Kirsty Coventry Is Elected President of International Olympic Committee

Ms. Coventry, a former Olympic swimming champion who has been Zimbabwe’s sports minister, faces urgent issues including the rights of transgender athletes and the challenges posed by the climate ...
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Seb Coe humiliated as Kirsty Coventry becomes new Olympics president

Lord Coe suffered a crushing defeat in his bid to become president of the International Olympic Committee, with Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry routing her six rivals in the first round of voting to ...
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Kirsty Coventry becomes first woman to lead International Olympic Committee

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Kirsty Coventry elected first woman president of Olympic movement

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