IOC inaugurates Kirsty Coventry as first female African president

Kirsty Coventry, a Zimbabwean swimming champion and seven-time Olympic medalist, has officially become the first woman and first African president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), beginning an eight-year term. She succeeded Thomas Bach, who led the IOC for 12 years, with a formal handover ceremony held in Lausanne, Switzerland. Coventry emphasized the Olympic Movement as a platform to inspire, change lives, and bring hope, likening it to a spider web that is strong only when united. Key challenges she faces include managing the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics amid political tensions, addressing Russia's reintegration, protecting female sports categories, and confronting climate change impacts on future Games. Coventry plans to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss preparations for the 2028 Games, highlighting the importance of collaboration with host nations. Her presidency marks a new era focused on financial stability, commercial growth, and broadening the Olympic Movement's reach worldwide.