Ivorian legend Didier Drogba was among the host of sports personalities and administrators to congratulate Olympian Kirsty Coventry on becoming the 10th IOC President.
The Olympic medalist is also the first woman and African to be elected to the role.
“Congratulations to @KirstyCoventry for being the First Women and African President of the IOC 
@iocmedia,” Drogba said on X.
Congratulations to @KirstyCoventry for being the First Women and African President of the IOC
— Didier Drogba (@didierdrogba) March 20, 2025
She replaces Thomas Bach in the role who was first elected in 2013 and re-elected in 2021.
“This is an extraordinary moment. As a nine-year-old girl I never thought I’d be standing up here one day, getting to give back to this incredible Movement of ours,” President-elect Coventry told the Session in her acceptance speech.
This is not just a huge honour but it is a reminder of my commitment to every single one of you that I will lead this organisation with so much pride, with the Values at the core. And I will make all of you very, very proud, and hopefully extremely confident in the decision that you have taken today. Now we’ve got some work together. This race was an incredible race and it made us better, made us a stronger Movement.”
Coventry earned 49 votes in the first round, exactly the number required for a majority from the 97 votes cast.
The President-elect will take office after the handover from Bach on Olympic Day, 23 June. She will oversee the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 as her first Olympic Games.
