Kirsty Coventry has made history by being inaugurated as the first woman and first African president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday, coinciding with the organisation’s 131st anniversary. During the ceremony, attendees praised the Olympic movement as being “in the best of hands.”
At just 42 years old, Coventry, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming representing Zimbabwe, formally assumes her office on Tuesday following a decisive victory in a seven-candidate election held in March, succeeding German lawyer Thomas Bach.
In her inaugural address, Coventry expressed deep gratitude to her family, particularly her two young daughters, who she described as “my rocks, my inspiration” as she embarks on her leadership of the IOC over the next eight years, leading up to the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
“You are my constant reminders of why we do what we do every single day,” Coventry said, directing her comments to her six-year-old daughter, Ella, who was seated at the front of the ceremony.
Coventry emphasised the importance of the Olympic movement, stating, “You are a constant reminder of why this movement is relevant, why it needs to change, why we need to embrace new ways.”
She highlighted the essential role of Olympic leaders as “guardians of a platform … to inspire, to change lives, to bring hope.”
Former President Thomas Bach, who emotionally handed over the symbolic key to the presidency to his protégé, reflected on his tenure, stating that he believed the Olympic movement was now in the “best of hands” with Coventry. The 71-year-old, an Olympic champion in team fencing in 1976, concluded his twelve-year term, expressing confidence in the future of the organisation.
“I believe with all my heart that the Olympic movement is ready for the future,” Bach remarked, adding that he had “given all I could” to the IOC and the Olympic Games. He now assumes the title of honorary president and has expressed his willingness to counsel his successor.
The inauguration ceremony took place in a temporary structure within the gardens of the IOC’s headquarters, designed to resemble the Grand Palais in Paris, which hosted fencing and taekwondo events during last year’s Summer Games.
Amidst a steamy and humid day in Lausanne, a sudden downpour just minutes before the ceremony forced Bach and Coventry to share an umbrella as they made their way from the villa that was once the Olympic home.
The hour-long event featured a four-minute montage paying tribute to Bach, before Coventry’s first day in office commenced with a closed-door session designed to gather insights from approximately 100 IOC members, consisting of current and former heads of state, business leaders, billionaires, past and present Olympic athletes, and leaders from various Olympic sports.
