Kirsty Coventry Officially Takes Over As IOC Chief, Handed Golden Key By Thomas Back

Last Updated:June 23, 2025, 18:41 IST

The Zimbabwean former Olympic swimming champion, who was elected the first female chief in IOC history, was welcomed in a handover ceremony.

International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, with former chief Thomas Bach. (X)

Kirsty Coventry officially took over as the President of the International Olympic Committee on Monday as she received the golden key to the Olympic House from outgoing chief Thomas Bach in Lausanne, Switzerland

The Zimbabwean former Olympic swimming champion, who was elected the first female chief in IOC history, was welcomed in a handover ceremony.

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“In this spirit of gratitude, confidence, and joy, I hand over the keys of Olympic House to Mrs Kirsty Coventry, the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee," Bach said.

“As my mandate as IOC president comes to an end, I am deeply grateful because I have never walked this path alone. I am thankful to so many, but first and foremost, to all of you, my dear fellow IOC members. Your trust, your support, and your friendship have carried me throughout my presidency," he added.

“From the beginning, the Olympic agenda has been on our compass… We have reformed, we have renewed, and we have united around the values that define our Olympic Movement. The road we travelled was not always easy, but we could overcome even the most complex challenges by standing together and being united," Bach continued.

Coventry was elected as the 10th president of the IOC and the first female president in its history, following voting at the 144th IOC Session in Costa Navarino, Greece, in March this year.

The president was elected by the IOC Members through a secret ballot for a term of eight years. Coventry succeeds the ninth IOC president, Bach, whose 12-year tenure officially ended on Monday.

“This is the Olympic family. It is one of my greatest honours that I get to do this today. President Bach, I have been watching over the many years you have had this honour. And I’m extremely honoured because, as a movement, we’ve chosen to give this recognition to you. As I said, for your passion, for your commitment, for your purpose. But I get to give you the Olympic Order in gold as my very first Olympic Order. And I’m very excited about that," Covetry said.

“Over the last few weeks, there have been an incredible number of memories that have been shared with all of you, with President Bach, and in most of those, I have been able to be a part of it. There has been a common theme of words that have come up. Passion, purpose, respect, values, and togetherness. And this is a legacy that will stay with all of us for an extremely long amount of time. You are not just a leader, but a friend to so many of us. Thank you for that commitment and the time that both you and Claudia have given to us as a movement," she added.

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Bach was also awarded the Olympic Order in Gold by IOC President-elect Coventry, recognising his outstanding contribution to world sport and faithfulness to the Olympic ideal.

“Mr President, Thomas Bach, in recognition of your outstanding merit in the cause of world sport, and your faithfulness to the Olympic ideal as illustrated by Pierre de Coubertin, Renovator of the Olympic Games, I have the honour to award you the Olympic Order in gold," said Coventry.

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News sports Kirsty Coventry Officially Takes Over As IOC Chief, Handed Golden Key By Thomas Back