In the Olympic movement: how Kirsty Coventry became the new president of the IOC

Kirsty Coventry is the new president of the International Olympic Committee. She will replace Thomas Bach on June 24, 2025. This is a brief summary of the months-long race, which was led by seven candidates for the presidency and in which Coventry did not seem to be the favorite for the majority. A girl who became one of the few successful white African women in sports and won seven Olympic medals, two of which are gold. A woman who managed to become the Minister of Sports in her native country will now head the largest and most influential sports organization.

The guarantor of stability

The well–known Sebastian Coe, Morinari Watanabe, who came to Moscow, Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., is a friend to all IOC members... All of them lost in the first round of voting after a slight hitch, which was caused by the fact that one of the IOC members did not have a smart card. They lost, apparently, with a bang — Coventry needed to gain 50% + one vote or more to win.

Some will see in this the underhanded games of Bach, whose protege Coventry is considered, while others will see the IOC's desire to avoid harsh experiments like those proposed by other candidates. The IOC is stable now, with revenue of $7.7 billion in 2012-2024, contracts signed, and more than 10 candidate cities bidding to host the 2036-2044 Olympics. There is really no talk of any crisis, not even close.

Coventry is an obvious choice, it is partly the guarantor of this stability. It is not for nothing that in her first words after her election she immediately talked about the values underlying the IOC.

"This is an extraordinary moment,— Kirsty Coventry said from the podium. — As a nine-year-old girl, I never thought that one day I would stand here and pay tribute to this incredible movement of ours. This is not only a great honor, but also a reminder of my commitment to each of you, that I will lead this organization with such pride, with values at its core, and I will make all of you very, very proud and, hopefully, confident in the decision you have made today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and now we have to work together. And I would like to thank the candidates. The race was incredible, and it made us better, made us move more strongly. From all the conversations I've had with each of you, I know how much stronger our movement will be when we get back together and implement some of the ideas we all shared. Thank you so much for this moment and thank you so much for this honor.

Voice add-ons: What you need to know about the IOC presidential election

For the first time in history, the main sports organization in the world can be headed by a woman: former swimmer Kirsty Coventry from Zimbabwe looks like the favorite.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent congratulations to Kirsty Coventry.

— The results of the voting clearly demonstrate your high authority in the sports world and the recognition of your outstanding personal achievements. I am sure that your unique experience and interest in the real promotion of the noble Olympic ideals will contribute to success in such a responsible job," the telegram says, published on the Kremlin's website.

On behalf of the Russian Olympic Committee, Mikhail Degtyarev, Minister of Sports of Russia and Head of the ROC, congratulated Kirsty Coventry on her election.

"We expect that in the era of the new leader, the Olympic movement will become stronger, independent and prosperous, and Russia will return to the Olympic podium,— he said in his telegram channel.

Hope for warming

The transfer of power will take some time. But starting in June, we will have to negotiate with a new person, and Coventry will decide how and in what status our winter sports will participate in the 2026 Olympics. Will she remember the sanctions against Rhodesia, which, of course, affected her family in the 1970s, including the inability for Rhodesian athletes to participate in the Olympics until 1980, when that regime fell?

"Any changes seem positive," Alexander Yaremenko, General Secretary of the All—Russian Volleyball Federation, told Izvestia. — This provides an opportunity, opens the door for an easier change of position. When you stand in certain rigid positions, then another person appears — it's easier for him to change them. In this regard, of course, any change of the IOC leader can be positive for Russia. The first female president of the IOC? I would not make a difference between a man and a woman in this case. It's just that any changes now are probably positive. And then we'll see how it will be in practice.

"Thomas Bach lobbied for her interests, she is his creation," Dmitry Guberniev, a well—known commentator and adviser to the Minister of Sports, told Izvestia. — She is a representative of Zimbabwe. By the way, I remember commenting on her winning swims, we even know each other a little bit, I interviewed her. I think there will be a warming between the IOC and the Russian Federation. Sanctions are being lifted from Degtyarev, and Switzerland has done so today. Anyway, it's all very interesting. I think the situation will change in terms of our possible participation in world competitions. The IOC President is a political figure. We are now cautiously hoping for a warming.

Coventry became the 10th president in the history of the IOC. Her predecessor has held this position since 2013.