Powerful Signal Breaks Glass Ceiling Today Coventry, Birth Of First Female X African Head In 130 Years Of IOC History

Mar 21, 2025

"The glass ceiling is broken today. It's a powerful signal."

Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwe's minister of youth, sports and culture, who became the first female head of the IOC in its 130-year history and the first African-born chairman, said shortly after the election.

Zimbabwe's Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry was elected in the election of the 10th International Olympic Committee (IOC) chairman on the 21st (Korea time). Coventry was elected as the 10th chairman at the 144th IOC General Assembly held in Costa Navarino, Greece on the 21st (Korea time). It was an overwhelming election that reversed the expectations of a close race. Coventry secured a majority of 49 votes in the first round of voting, out of a total of 97. Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., vice president of the IOC (65, Spain), received 28 votes, while Sebastian Coe, president of the World Athletics Federation (68, the United Kingdom), who had a high chance of winning the election, received only eight votes. David Lafartien, president of the International Cycling Federation (51, France), Morinari Watanabe, president of the International Gymnastics Federation (66, Japan), won four votes each, while Johan Eliash, president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (63, Sweden), and Prince Faisal al-Hussein of Jordan (61) won two votes each. It is a historical moment when the first female IOC president and the first head from the African continent were born. Coventry will be appointed as the new chairman in June and begin his eight-year term by 2033. Her first Olympics, which will be in charge of four winter Olympics during her term, will be the Cortina Winter Olympics in Milan in February next year.

The world is surprised at the birth of a "female head in her 40s from Africa." Coventry, known as IOC President Thomas Bach's favorite candidate, was proudly elected after a quiet campaign, opening a new history and a new era.

In the 130-year history of the IOC since Dimitrius Bichelas (Greece), the first chairwoman in 1894, she is the first female IOC president. Coventry won the election, beating all of the veteran male candidates with the highest competition ratio of 7 to 1. Eight of the first to ninth chairmen were from Europe, and only the fifth chairman of the Avery Brundage was from the United States in the 1950s and 1970s. Born in September 1983 and aged 41, Coventry was the second youngest to take the helm, following Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who was made the 'second chair of the committee' at the age of 33.

Zimbabwean swimming legend Coventry, who married in 2013 and is also a mother of two daughters, is a great woman who has broken the glass ceiling in the sports world. At the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics, she won two gold medals, four silver medals and one bronze medal, including two consecutive women's 200m backstroke. Seven of Zimbabwe's Olympic medals in both the winter and summer came from her. Coventry was elected to the IOC Athletes Commission at the 2012 London Olympics, and Coventry went on to become a full-fledged sports administrator after retiring in 2016. He was recognized as IOC Athletes Commissioner, and was trusted by IOC President Thomas Bach, who has been serving as IOC Executive Committee Chairman since 2023 and Coordinating Committee Chairman of the Brisbane Summer Olympics in 2032, and is an important figure for 'Women, Athletes, and Former Athletes'. He was also active in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Swimming Federation (FINA), and was appointed Zimbabwe's Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture in 2018.

Coventry said after winning the election that `The little girl who first started swimming in Zimbabwe a long time ago did not dream of this moment," he said, expressing his emotion. "I am especially proud to be the first female IOC member and the first female president of African origin" I hope this election will be an inspiration for many people. The glass ceiling is broken today, and I am fully aware of my responsibilities as a role model."

In his acceptance speech, Coventry described his election as a `special moment' and promised to make IOC members proud of his choice. "This is a really powerful signal. It is a sign that we have evolved into a truly global, diversity-open organization, and we will continue to walk that path for eight years to come." During the election campaign, Coventry pledged to modernize, sustainability, accept technology, and improve players' capabilities. In particular, it supported the complete ban on transgender women from women's sports, which was a hot topic in women's sports.

Shortly after his election, Coventry emphasized communication and collaboration. Revealing his intention to collaborate with fellow candidates, "I will focus on bringing all the candidates together"There have been many good exchanges of ideas over the past six months. The IOC and Olympic Movement were able to continue for generations because they were able to bring people together and connect each other through diversity. So even at this moment, the Olympics are the biggest platform for showing humanity's goodness and sharing the values of the Olympic movement." Coventry responded to the prospect that U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration policy could affect athlete visas ahead of the 2028 LA Olympics, saying `communication will be key.' "I've been dealing with difficult people in high office since I was 20 years old", showing confidence.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.