Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe has been elected as the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the first female President in IOC history, following 1 round of voting at the 144th IOC Session in Costa Navarino, Greece.
Coventry was chosen over fellow presidential candidates HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein, David Lappartient, Johan Eliasch, Juan Antonio Samaranch, Lord Sebastian Coe and Morinari Watanabe.*
President-elect Coventry said: “I am incredibly honoured and excited to be elected as President of the International Olympic Committee! I want to sincerely thank my fellow members for their trust and support.
“The young girl who first started swimming in Zimbabwe all those years ago could never have dreamt of this moment.
“I am particularly proud to be the first female IOC President, and also the first from Africa. I hope that this vote will be an inspiration to many people. Glass ceilings have been shattered today, and I am fully aware of my responsibilities as a role model.
“Sport has an unmatched power to unite, inspire and create opportunities for all, and I am committed to making sure we harness that power to its fullest. Together with the entire Olympic family, including our athletes, fans and sponsors, we will build on our strong foundations, embrace innovation, and champion the values of friendship, excellence and respect. The future of the Olympic Movement is bright, and I can’t wait to get started!”
After the election, IOC President Thomas Bach said: “Congratulations to Kirsty Coventry on her election as the 10th IOC President. I warmly welcome the decision of the IOC Members and look forward to strong cooperation, particularly during the transition period. There is no doubt that the future for our Olympic Movement is bright and that the values we stand for will continue to guide us through the years to come.”
Lord Killanin – IOC President from 1972-1980
In celebration of the new International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry who was elected today, we wanted to look back at the Irish man who was running the IOC from his house in Ranelagh.
Lord Killanin was the 6th IOC President elected, from 1972-1980.
His Olympic committee career began when he was named President of the Olympic Council of Ireland in 1950, and in 1952 was asked to join the International Olympic Committee.
He continued to work his way up in the IOC, and in 1965, he was named the IOC Head of Protocol and Chairman of the Press Commission, the latter being a natural role for the former journalist. In 1967, he was appointed to the Executive Board as 3rd Vice-President of the IOC., and then in 1970, he was named 1st Vice-President.