Cuba congratulated Kirsty Coventry on her election as the first female president of the IOC. The Cuban Olympic Committee expressed confidence in her leadership impacting international sports. Coventry won the election decisively in a single round with 49 votes, while Thomas Bach was named Honorary Life President.
Cuba has extended congratulations to Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry for her election as the first female president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Cuban Olympic Committee (COC) emphasized that Coventry’s leadership is expected to significantly impact international sports. Additionally, the COC acknowledged German Thomas Bach, who has served as president since 2013, being designated as Honorary Life President.
In a social media statement, Vento Montiller, head of Cuba’s National Institute of Sports, Physical Education, and Recreation (Inder), expressed pride in Coventry’s historic election as the first woman from Africa to head the IOC. Coventry, 41, is a two-time Olympic champion, securing gold in the 200m backstroke at both the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Games.
The recent election took place in Costa Navarino, Greece, where Coventry garnered 49 votes from the 97 participating IOC members. Despite initial expectations of a tight contest requiring multiple voting rounds, it was resolved in a single round due to Bach’s support and backing from other IOC female members and African representatives. Coventry outperformed Spaniard Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. by 19 votes, with other candidates trailing significantly in the vote count.
Kirsty Coventry’s election as the first female IOC president marks a significant milestone in Olympic history. Her victory, supported by key figures and members of the IOC, is anticipated to lead to impactful changes in international sports. The recognition of Thomas Bach as Honorary Life President further solidifies leadership continuity within the organization.
Original Source: www.plenglish.com
