Kirsty Coventry has been elected as the first female president of the IOC. Cuba’s Olympic Committee congratulated her and recognized Thomas Bach as Honorary Life President. Coventry, an Olympic champion, won decisively in the election held in Greece with 49 votes, supported by Bach and other IOC women members.
Cuba has expressed its congratulations to Kirsty Coventry for her recent election as the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), marking a historic milestone as she is the first woman to hold this position. The Cuban Olympic Committee (COC) stated on its Facebook profile that it trusts Coventry’s leadership will significantly enhance international sports. They also welcomed the election of Thomas Bach, who was named Honorary Life President, after serving as president since 2013.
Vento Montiller, the head of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education, and Recreation (Inder), also extended his congratulations on social media, acknowledging Coventry as the first woman elected to lead the IOC and the representative of the African continent. Born in Zimbabwe, Coventry is a 41-year-old Olympic champion, having won gold medals in the 200m backstroke at both the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
In the recent election held in Costa Navarino, Greece, Coventry secured 49 out of 97 votes from IOC members. Contrary to initial expectations of a close contest requiring multiple voting rounds, she won decisively in a single round, benefiting from the support of Thomas Bach and other female IOC members, as well as delegates from Africa. Her closest competitor, Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., garnered 28 votes, while other candidates fell short with Sebastian Coe receiving eight votes, and Morinari Watanabe, David Lappartient, Johan Eliasch, and Prince Feisal Al Hussein each receiving no more than four votes.
The election of Kirsty Coventry as the IOC president is a historic achievement for women in sports, particularly as she hails from the African continent. Cuba, as well as other international sports organizations, have expressed their support and confidence in her ability to enhance the global sports landscape. Through this election, the IOC has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive and diverse leadership.
Original Source: www.plenglish.com
