Former Zimbabwean swimming champion, Kirsty Coventry, has officially taken over as president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday, June 23, 2025, in a historic ceremony held at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Coventry begins her eight-year spell officially on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, as the most powerful sports administrator in the world, according to a report by gbcghanaonline.com on June 24.
She has also made history as the first woman and first African to be elected head of the Olympic ruling body.
In a symbolic handover, Thomas Bach passed the golden key of Olympic House to Kirsty Coventry, who pledged to enhance and expand the Olympic Games’ global reach.
Coventry hailed the Olympic Movement as a powerful force for inspiration, transformation, and hope, drawing from her own experience of chasing Olympic gold to now head the organisation.
Kirsty Coventry’s new role will see her focusing on the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, which faces hurdles like local protests and political tensions.
Her experience at Auburn University in the US is expected to help her navigate these challenges effectively.
Much of the discussion during campaigning focused on the IOC’s need for change in its marketing strategies, with several top Olympic sponsors having left in the past 12 months.
Coventry has long-standing ties with the United States, dating back to her time as a leading swimmer at Auburn University in Alabama.
Her experience with the US will prove useful ahead of LA 2028, as she has hinted that she seeks a meeting with President Donald Trump to discuss the Games.
Her unique background as an elite athlete and her status as the first female and African president bring diversity to the IOC’s leadership, aligning with the increasingly international and inclusive nature of the Olympic Movement.
As she embarks on her term, Coventry emphasised unity and innovation as keys to inspiring future generations and sustaining the Olympic legacy.
PM/VPO
Meanwhile, watch as victims of the June 3 disaster decry 10 years of neglect by the state:
