Kirsty Coventry Elected IOC President, First Woman and African

Kirsty Coventry made history as the first woman and first African elected as president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at age 41, becoming the youngest person to hold the position. Her election marks a significant milestone in the IOC's 131-year history and follows her tenure as an IOC member since 2013, with various roles including the Executive Committee. Coventry's leadership comes at a challenging time, with pressing issues such as the reintegration of Russian and Belarusian athletes following the war in Ukraine and ongoing discussions around gender identity and equality in sports. She expresses a commitment to ensuring athletes' voices are valued and aims to address global conflicts while safeguarding their interests. Coventry's first major event as president will be the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, where she will also oversee preparations for the 2028 LA Games and the selection of the host for the 2036 Summer Games. Her acceptance of the presidency is seen as a continuation of the IOC's push for gender equity initiated by her predecessor, Thomas Bach.