Kirsty Coventry has officially taken over as president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), following years of leadership by Thomas Bach, who has been at the helm of the IOC since 2013. Coventry, a former top swimmer with numerous Olympic medals, took over the position with the intention of bringing fresh energy and ideas to the governance of sports on a global level.

Kirsty Coventry comes to the helm with clear priorities:

• Promoting inclusive and sustainable sport worldwide
• Supporting the development of young athletes and future Olympic stars
• Fighting injustice and improving transparency within the IOC
• Through these goals, Coventry wants to ensure that the Olympic Games remain a platform for unity, sporting excellence and human rights.

Thomas Bach expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to lead the IOC during challenging times, emphasizing that he will remain active in sports circles and continue to contribute to the development of the Olympic movement. He also highlighted that he is particularly pleased that sports will continue to serve as a means of connecting people and cultures around the world.

Kirsty Coventry stated in her address that she will dedicate herself to preserving and strengthening the values of Olympism, especially in times of global challenges, and will work to make sport even more inclusive and accessible to all segments of society.

Athletes, sports analysts, and experts worldwide have expressed support for the new leadership change and believe that Coventry will bring fresh energy to the IOC. Experts emphasize the importance of ensuring stability and continuing to implement innovations that will facilitate the development of the Olympic movement in the coming years.

The focus will undoubtedly be on sustainability, digitalization of the sports experience, and strengthening the role of sport as a tool for global unification and shared development.

Past presidents of the International Olympic Committee:

Pierre de Coubertin (1896–1925)
Henri de Baillet-Latour (1925–1948)
Sigfrid Edström (1946–1952) (from 1946, but formally appointed as the president on 1946.)
Antonín Hein (1952–1953) (temporary)
Bryan Gilbert (1952–1953) (temporary)
Juan Antonio Samaranch (1980–2001)
Jacques Rogge (2001–2013)
Thomas Bach (2013–2025)