Kirsty Coventry Become First Female IOC President

© IOC/Greg Martin

On June 23^rd, 2025, Zimbabwean Olympian Kirsty Coventry made history by officially becoming the International Olympic Committee’s first female and African president. Her leadership brings feminist urgency to one of the world’s most powerful sports institutions.

From Pool to Power

Kirsty Coventry is no stranger to breaking records. She remains Africa’s most decorated Olympian, having won seven swimming medals across three Games – including two golds in Athens 2004. Her dominance in backstroke and individual medley ensured she became well-known not just in Zimbabwe but across the continent.

After retiring from elite sport, Coventry transitioned into leadership roles. She served as Zimbabwe’s Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation and chaired the IOC Athletes’ Commission. She was also appointed to the IOC Executive Board and helped oversee athlete welfare initiatives ahead of Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.

Yet despite her resume, Coventry’s win was not guaranteed. The presidential election in March 2025 was very close, with Sebastian Coe, a British former athlete and World Athletics President, widely considered the frontrunner. Coventry secured 49 of 97 votes in a surprise victory.

On June 23rd, she officially stepped into the role at IOC headquarters, becoming the youngest president in over a century.

A Feminist Vision for Global Sport

Coventry campaigned on a platform that centres gender equality, athletes’ welfare and inclusivity. She pledged to replicate Paris 2024 success, by pushing quotas and supporting women’s representation in coaching and policies. She now aims to ensure equal opportunities for women across all levels of the movement, including leadership roles within International Federations. As of 2023, women held only 26.9% of executive positions in these bodies – a clear reminder of how far equality must go.

She has also emphasised expanding facilities like dedicated lactation rooms and safeguards for mothers and female athletes facing gender-based violence.

Her desire to integrate the African philosophy of Ubuntu – “I am because we are” – reflects her leadership style rooted in empathy, collaboration and community.  

Why Does This Matter for Sporting Governance?

A Break with the Past

In an institution long resistant to demographic change, Coventry’s election sends a powerful message about default gendered leaders.

Reform from Within

Coventry is seen as an ally with outgoing president Thomas Bach who architected the gender-balanced Paris Games.

Representation Matters

Being both African and female, Coventry embodies a broader vision of Olympic universality. Her leadership challenges the geographic imbalance of power in global sport.

Tough Conversations Ahead

Her presidency must handle politically fraught issues: Russia’s potential return, hosting under the Trump administration in LA 2028, and transgender eligibility debates. How she navigates these will define her legacy. Furthermore, her previous role as a government minister in Zimbabwe also drew international scrutiny, raising questions about how she’ll balance politics and athlete welfare at a global scale.

Will Feminist Leadership Redefine the IOC?

Coventry’s presidency could transform the IOC from the inside out. She has the potential to modernise the body which has previously been criticised as secretive and male dominated.

Her presidency opens a new chapter for the Olympic Movement, where feminist values can be embedded in the foundations of global sport.

References

Roan, D. (2025, March 21). Kirsty Coventry - the groundbreaking but controversial new IOC president. BBC Sport. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/cgm1kvkner0o