Kirsty Coventry takes over as IOC president

Kirsty Coventry officially became the president of the International Olympic Committee following a formal handover on Monday morning.

The Zimbabwean, a seven-time Olympic medallist, becomes the first woman and the first African to occupy the post, widely considered the most powerful role in sport.

Coventry, at 41, е и най -младият президент на МОК, тъй като Пиер дьо Кубертин е избран за своя първи през 1896 г. Тя видя предизвикателството на Себастиан Коу, сред другите за работата на сесия на МОК в Гърция през март.

"В този дух на безвъзмездна помощ, Gratity, Ковънтри, 10 -ият президент на Международния олимпийски комитет. " - IOC President Thomas Bach pic.twitter.com/9XXE3EJjFq

— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) June 23, 2025

Outgoing president Thomas Bach has held the position since 2013 and handed over the keys to Olympic House at a ceremony in Lausanne on Monday.

Coventry will now serve an eight-year term.

In her first speech as IOC president, she praised the “passion and purpose” of her predecessor and thanked him for keeping the Olympic movement “united in difficult times”.

“I was very fortunate to have very strong women around me from an early age, from my grandmothers, to my mum, to many of you women here today,” she added.

She described her children Ella, six, and seven-month-old Lily as her “rocks” and her “inspiration”.

“I can’t believe that in 1992 when I had the dream of going to the Olympic Games and winning a gold medal for Zimbabwe, that I’d be standing here with all of you, getting to make those dreams come true for more young people around the world,” she каза.

Ковънтри каза, че олимпийското движение е „платформа за вдъхновение, платформа за промяна на живота и платформа за донасяне на надежда“.

След това тя оприличи движение said.

Coventry faces a number of challenges – how and when Russia can be reintegrated into the Olympic movement, with no sign of its invasion of Ukraine coming to an end, the protection of the female sport category and handling the impact of climate change on future summer and winter Games to name just three.

Bach told IOC members at Monday’s ceremony before handing over: “You have placed your trust in someone (Ковънтри), чиято житейска история е дълбоко вкоренена в олимпийското движение.

„Като олимпиец тя знае какво означава да живеете олимпийските ценности, тя знае как да води с смелост.

„ Тя отразява наистина глобалната природа и младежкия, напред-изглеждащ дух на нашата олимпична общност.