Egypt Daily News – Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry became the first woman and the first African to lead the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after being elected on Thursday, succeeding Germany’s Thomas Bach, who had led the organization for 12 years.
Coventry won the election over competitors including Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., Sebastian Coe, David Lappartient, Morinari Watanabe, Prince Faisal bin Al Hussein of Jordan, and Johan Eliasch.
The election took place at a luxurious seaside resort in Peloponnese, southwestern Greece. Coventry secured victory in just one round of voting, winning an immediate majority in the secret ballot to lead the world’s wealthiest multi-sport organization.
With this win, Coventry becomes the first woman and the first African to hold the position of IOC President.
As the new head of the IOC, Coventry will be responsible for steering the Olympic movement into a new era, overseeing future Olympic Games, and addressing key challenges such as rising costs, geopolitical tensions, and the evolving landscape of global sports governance.
