Zimbabwe's Coventry becomes first woman and African to lead IOC

football20 March 2025 19:45| © AFP
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Kirsty Coventry © Getty Images

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 elected to be the most powerful person in sports governance.

"It is a really powerful signal we are truly global and evolved into an organisation open to diversity," said Coventry, who paid tribute to her supporter Anita DeFrantz, the first woman to run for the post of IOC supremo.

"It is significant women like her paved the way for more women like me and I want to pave the way for younger generations, especially because I have two young daughters."

Coventry, the Zimbabwean sports minister, is a close ally of the German Thomas Bach, who steps down as IOC supremo after 12 years.

"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.

Bach was thought to favour Coventry but after the vote he again refused to be drawn on the issue.

"She has a very strong mandate, it is a great signal of unity in the Olympic movement and she can count on the support of the membership," said Bach, who hands over power officially on June 24.

Coventry 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 decided in the first round of voting.

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

For both, their dreams of being IOC president one day are over, owing to their ages.

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.

None of that quartet garnered more than four votes.

GEOPOLITICAL HURDLES

Questions had been raised about Coventry being a minister in a Zimbabwean government whose election in 2023 was declared undemocratic and unfair.

"I don't think you can stand on the sidelines and scream and shout for change. I believe you have to be seated at the table to try and create it," she said at her first press conference.

Coventry faces enormous geopolitical challenges, such as dealing with US president Donald Trump in the run-up to Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Summer Games.

She said "communication will be key" with Trump.

"I have been dealing with, let's say, difficult men in high positions since I was 20 years old," she said.

She will take over a financially secure IOC but faces a febrile geopolitical situation.

Samaranch Junior, a polished performer who is IOC vice-president, congratulated Coventry and said he "was not going anywhere."

"It is very good news, the IOC is moving into the future, she has so much support from the membership, we will all walk behind her," he said.

Bach appeared to view Coe 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 and organiser of the 2012 London Games.

Coe took the dashing of his dream on the chin. Asked if it had been a clean fight, he replied: "It was an election."

"I am really pleased for Kirsty, it is really good there is an athlete at the top of the organisation," Coe added.

One of the major issues Coventry will face is the question of whether to allow Russia to return to the Olympic fold.

In Paris last year Russian athletes had to compete under a neutral banner, owing to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Coventry on her election, saying it was "proof of your high authority in the sporting world", while sports minister Mikhail Degtyaryov said on Telegram he hoped it would lead "to Russia returning to the Olympic podium".