International Olympics Committee Elects First Woman President

21 March 2025 – Kirsty Leigh Coventry Seward from Zimbabwe has been elected the first woman to lead the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since the establishment of the Olympic governing body in 1894.

At 41 years old, Coventry is currently serving as the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation in the Cabinet of Zimbabwe since September 2018. She is a former Olympic swimmer and world record holder, she is the most decorated Olympian from Africa.

She was elected yesterday as the new IOC president following a secret ballot conducted by the IOC members during the 144th IOC Session, in Costa Navarino, Greece.

The secret vote took place around 5:00 p.m. local time at the Greek resort The Westin, where access to the room -House of Events- was prohibited with mobile phones. Only one round was needed for Coventry to be elected where she won by 49 votes.

The most recent president was Thomas Bach, who has held the position since September 2013 and is stepping down after completing an eight-year term, which was extended by an additional four years under IOC regulations.

Kirsty Coventry was one of seven candidates who ran in this election, alongside, Sebastian Coe (United Kingdom, 68 years old), David Lappartient (France, 51 years old), Morinari Watanabe (Japan, 66 years old), Johan Eliasch (born in Sweden but holding British nationality, 63 years old), Feisal Al Hussein (Jordan, 61 years old), and the Spanish candidate and former IOC President, Juan Antonio Samaranch (65 years old).

Samoa is one of the seven IOC members in the Oceania region.

THE RESULTS
Valid votes cast: 97
Kirsty Coventry: 49
Juan Antonio Samaranch: 28
Sebastian Coe: 8
David Lappartient: 4
Morinari Watanabe: 4
Prince Feisal Al Hussein: 2
Johan Eliasch: 2

THE IOC MEMBERS WHO ELECTED NEW PRESIDENT
By continent:
● 33: Europe
● 19: Americas
● 17: Africa
● 7: Oceania

By gender:
● 47: Men
● 45: Women