Zimbabwe’s Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Kirsty Coventry, has been elected as the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The 41-year-old was chosen in a secret vote of seven candidates during the 144th IOC Session in Costa Navarino, Greece, on March 20. She will serve an eight-year term.
Coventry makes history as the IOC’s first female and first African president in its 130-year history.
She secured an immediate majority in the vote, receiving 49 of the 97 available votes.
Coventry beat Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., who came second with 28 votes. Britain’s Sebastian Coe, a leading contender, placed third with eight votes.
The remaining votes were cast for Frenchman David Lappartient, Jordan’s Prince Feisal, Swedish-born Johan Eliasch, and Japan’s Morinari Watanabe.
Speaking to her fellow IOC members at the luxurious seaside resort in Greece’s southwestern Peloponnese, Coventry said:
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This is not just a huge honour but it is a reminder of my commitment to every single one of you that I will lead this organisation with so much pride.
I will make all of you very, very proud, and hopefully extremely confident with the choice you’ve taken today, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
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Coventry will officially take office on Olympic Day, June 23, after the handover from President Bach. Bach will remain in his role until then, but will resign as an IOC Member following the transfer of power and will take on the title of Honorary President.
Coventry’s first major event will be overseeing the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, with less than 11 months until the Opening Ceremony.
Lawyer Fadzayi Mahere explained that the Constitution prohibits Coventry from holding both her ministerial position and the office of IOC president, so she will have to step down as Minister of Sport.

Pindula News

Kirsty Coventry from Zimbabwe is the new President of the International Olympic Committee. She is the first female and African president in the organization's history. She won the vote with 49 out of 97 votes. She promised to lead with pride and make everyone proud. She will officially start her role on Olympic Day, 23 June, after the current president resigns. Her first responsibility will be overseeing the Olympic Winter Games in 2026.

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