Kirsty Coventry Bids to Become First Female IOC President

Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry among seven candidates for International Olympic Committee presidency

by Adenike Adeodun

KEY POINTS


  • Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry is running to become the first female president of the IOC.  
  • Coventry, an Olympic gold medalist, is one of seven candidates for the role.  
  • The IOC will elect a new president in March next year after Thomas Bach’s tenure ends.

Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwe’s Olympic gold medalist and a serving Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts, and Culture, is seeking to become the first female president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 

Global contenders for the IOC presidency  

According to a report by New Zimbabwe,  Coventry is a former Olympic swimmer and world record holder, one of seven candidates considered for the IOC’s top position, along with Britain’s 1500m two-time Olympic champion Lord Coe, Spain’s Juan Antonio Samarach, Jordan’s Prince Feisal al Hussein, Sweden’s Johan Eliasch, Japan’s Wanari Wanatabe, and France’s David Lappartient. 

March election to determine new IOC president  

The IOC will elect a new president in March of next year, as Thomas Bach’s tenure expires. If elected, Coventry will become the first female athlete and the first African to hold the position.

The youngest of the seven shortlisted contenders is Zimbabwe’s Olympic swimming medalist.

Europeans have dominated the IOC’s leadership role, holding eight of the nine positions, with the remaining one held by the United States.

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