Members of the International Olympic Committee elected the first female president of the largest global sports organization on Thursday, working behind closed doors in a resort in western Greece.
Kirsty Coventry will become the tenth president of the International Olympic Committee after members from around the world voted secretly and voted on the 41-year-old in the first vote. She will replace the upcoming president Thomas Bach, who has been in the job since 2013.
“I am honored to be elected President of the International Olympic Committee. I would like to sincerely thank my colleagues for their trust and support,” Coventry said.
“The young girls who first swim in Zimbabwe for the first time a few years ago can never dream of dreaming. I am particularly proud to be the first female IOC president and the first president from Africa. I hope this vote will inspire many. The glass ceiling has broken today and I am fully aware of my responsibility as a role model.”
Coventry, who has won seven medal winners in the swimming pool in Zimbabwe at five Olympic Games, recently participated in Rio de Van in 2016.
“We’ve worked together”
In addition to being the first female president, she will be the second-year leader of the organization and the first person from Africa.
“I will make you all very, very proud and hope to be very confident in the decisions you made,” Coventry said in his acceptance speech. “Now we are working together.”
Coventry's victory was also a victory for Bach, who has long been regarded as a promotion to successor. He did not use his voting rights.
“Congratulations to Kirsty Coventry on his election as the 10th IOC President of the IOC,” he said. “I very much welcome the decisions of the IOC members and look forward to strong collaboration, especially during the transition period. There is no doubt that the future of our Olympic movement is bright and the values we represent will continue to guide us in the years to come.”
Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. walked to the podium, congratulated and kissed both cheeks, the latter of which she was the closest competitor in the vote.
There are also four presidents of the sports dominant institutions in the competition: Sebastian Coe of track and field, Johan Eliasch of skiing, David Lapartient of cycling and Morinari Watanabe of gymnastics. And Prince Faisal Al Hussein of Jordan also argued.
Coventry will officially replace her mentor Bach, the official Olympic Day, on June 23, becoming the 10th President of the IOC in the 131-year history. Bach served for up to 12 years.
The main challenge for Coventry will be a shift to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles through political and sports issues, including diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The IOC in Coventry also needs to find the host of the 2036 Summer Olympics, which may go to India or the Middle East.
