This Thursday, seven IOC presidential candidates gathered in Lausanne, Switzerland to campaign on their own behalf to the committee.
In a private setting, which included 98 of the 110 current IOC members, each candidate had 15 minutes to persuade the IOC why they were best fit to lead the committee. The candidates took no questions from the committee and electronic recording devices were prohibited.
The only female candidate, Zimbabwean swimming icon Kirsty Coventry, is considered to be a frontrunner for the position. After winning seven Olympic medals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, Coventry began a career in sports administration. She has served on the IOC as a general member throughout most of the 2010s and served on the IOC’s executive committee beginning in 2023. The Zimbabwean also served two terms as her country’s Minister of Sports, Art and Recreation.
Coventry’s career in sports leadership has not gone without controversy. Last summer, the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (ZOC) was scrutinized for reportedly sending 67 officials to the Paris Olympics despite only seven athletes competing. ZOC’s president, Thabani Gonye, refuted this claim.
If elected, Coventry would be the first woman to ever head the committee. She would also be the youngest president and the first from outside of Europe or the U.S.
Like other candidates, Coventry has spoken with the media about her priorities should she be chosen president. Among other priorities, Coventry emphasized building understanding with the “TOP” (The Olympic Network) group of sponsors. Three companies recently left TOP, leaving the network with 11 primary sponsors going into the next quad.
“One of the first things I’d like to do is bring all the TOP sponsors together and have a bit of a think tank to really understand their expectations,” Coventry said. She argued that her experience as an athlete gives her a unique perspective on what sponsors want.
Media outlets are also prompting candidates to talk about the future of transgender participation in Olympic events. One of the other candidates, Great Britain’s Sebastian Coe, has taken a vocal stance against transgender participation.
When asked about her opinion, Coventry replied:
“As as a female athlete, you want to be able to walk onto a level playing field always. It’s our job as the IOC to ensure that we are going to create that environment and that we are going to not just create a level playing field, but we’re going to create an environment that allows for every athlete to feel safe. Along the road. We’re going to learn lessons, and we’re going to get stronger and we’re going to make better rules and regulations.”
The final selection to succeed current IOC president, Thomas Bach, will take place on March 20. The candidate selected will oversee the 2026 Winter Olympics in Northern Italy and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
