By Karolos Grohmann
PYLOS, Greece (Reuters) – The stunning first-round election of Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry as the next International Olympic Committee president made her the first female and first African to lead the IOC but more importantly ensured continuity once Thomas Bach departs in June.
Coventry, a multiple swimming Olympic champion and her country’s sports minister, was long seen as incumbent Bach’s preferred choice and her win on Thursday in the first round of voting against six other candidates will only underline the organisation’s desire to continue along the German’s path.
Bach has ruled the IOC for 12 years since 2013, growing its finances and reach, while also overhauling the Games’ structure to make them more attractive to potential future host cities.
Coventry, 41, has held various posts within the IOC since joining in 2013 as a member of the athletes’ commission, and was a staunch supporter of Bach’s decision to stage the pandemic-hit Tokyo 2020 Games a year later even though many athletes opposed such plans due to fragmented preparations and health concerns.
She has towed the company line and is not expected to rock the IOC boat, as opposed to some of her fellow presidential candidates who had more radical proposals, including staging Olympics on five continents among other ideas.
Those were seen with some trepidation by the outgoing IOC leadership.
Coventry beat senior IOC member Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr, the head of World Athletics Sebastian Coe, international cycling chief David Lappartient, Jordan’s Prince Feisal, Swedish-born entrepreneur Johan Eliasch and Japan’s Morinari Watanabe.
“We have not just a responsibility to ourselves but to the next generation,” Coventry said when elected. “It’s about doing this together and doing this for the future.”
Her long-standing ties with the United States, dating back to her time as a competitive swimmer, will no doubt prove useful as the IOC prepares for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Coventry was a star swimmer for Auburn University in Alabama.
Ties with the U.S. government and President Donald Trump will be crucial ahead of the LA Games and on Thursday Coventry said she would seek a meeting with him to discuss the success of the LA Games.
Her work with the other IOC stakeholders, including international federations, national Olympic committees and sponsors, will be key to building on Bach’s legacy as the IOC looks to increase revenues and access a younger generation of viewers through digital media.
Coventry is also expected to continue the IOC’s plans to expand commercial opportunities for sponsors at Olympics with the organisation’s finances in a robust state.
The IOC has secured $7.3 billion for 2025-28 and $6.2 billion for 2029-2032. More deals are expected for both four-year periods.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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