Kirsty Coventry will be the next president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the first woman to lead the organization in its 130-year history. At the Greek resort of Costa Navarino, 100 kilometers from Olympia, the 106 present members chose the former Zimbabwean swimmer over the other six candidates, including Spanish Juan Antonio Samaranch Salisachs, handing her the reins of world sports.
The favorite of the current president, Thomas Bach, prevailed by leveraging her resume, two-time Olympic champion, and her experience as a manager at the helm of the Ministry of Sports in Zimbabwe. In the first round, she received 49 votes, just enough to win, with Samaranch in second place with 28. Her election was a surprise, not so much for her being chosen, but for her vote superiority over the rest.
Since Bach confirmed at the Paris Olympics that he would not bend the rules to preside over the organization for another four years, the electoral process went through different phases, but at no point was it thought that the vote could be resolved in the first round. In the initial months, Englishman Sebastian Coe seemed like the perfect candidate due to his successful management of the International Federation (World Athletics), his knowledge of the IOC itself - he had already secured the 2012 Olympics for London - and his rising status as a sports legend. On January 30, when the candidates presented their programs to the members at the Lausanne headquarters, there was no doubt that Coe was ahead. But in the weeks leading up to the elections, everything began to change.
Coventry and Bach's support
Bach's internal support for Coventry boosted her chances, and Samaranch's behind-the-scenes work placed both of them in contention for the throne. Despite the secrecy and the very few voters, equality was accepted as a certainty. And tension multiplied. As revealed by the 'New York Times', in the hours leading up to the vote, there were cross-allegations of irregularities, and media outlets aligned with one side or the other tried to sway the balance.
On Sunday, the 'Sunday Times' referred to Samaranch as "the son of a fascist" due to his father's ties to Francoism and criticized the existence in China of a Samaranch Foundation led by two of the voting members. Coventry was not spared either, as she was criticized for accepting gifts from former dictator of her country, Robert Mugabe. Ultimately, the British campaign did not succeed, and Coe lost the race.
Coventry will now have to get to work, albeit still in the shadows. Bach will remain president until June 23, when the official handover will take place. From then on, the new leader will have to address Russia's re-entry into the Olympics, the economic issues facing the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) due to cuts by the Government of Donald Trump, the inclusion of transgender athletes in competitions, the loss of several major sponsors for the Olympic movement, the negotiation of TV contracts, and, among many other things, the selection of a host city for the 2036 Games.