« It is in this spirit of gratitude, trust and joy that I hand over the keys to Olympic House to Ms. Kirsty Coventry, 10th President of the International Olympic Committee. » With these words, and to thunderous applause, Thomas Bach officially handed over the reins to the new IOC President on Monday, Olympic Day. This was the culmination of a three-month period, launched by the Zimbabwean's election on March 20, during which Bach took his successor under his wing with one goal: that she would now be able to stand on her own two feet to lead the Olympic Movement even higher.
“In this spirit of gratitude, confidence and joy, I hand over the keys of Olympic House to Mrs Kirsty Coventry, the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee.” - IOC President Thomas Bach pic.twitter.com/9XXE3EJjFq
- IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) June 23, 2025
"In the best hands"
More than 700 guests attended the ceremony. The German expressed his gratitude, confidence, and joy before the gathering. We have reformed, we have renewed, we have united around the values that define our Olympic Movement., he emphasizes. To all those who make our Olympic community come alive—the athletes, the National Olympic Committees and International Federations, our TOP Partners and media rights holders, and the dedicated IOC staff, led by our Director General: each of you has shaped, in your own way, this Olympic journey we have shared. I have felt your belief in what makes up our mission, your unwavering support, every step of the way. In difficult times, it is your dedication that has helped us move forward. Without each and every one of you, the Olympic Movement would not be what it is today. »
Thomas Bach received the Olympic Order in Gold from Kirsty Coventry. This is the highest distinction awarded by the IOC, in recognition of outstanding service to the Olympic cause. Tony Estanguet and Emmanuel Macron received it last year following the success of the Paris 2024 Games. You have chosen to trust a person whose history is deeply rooted in the Olympic Movement, he says. As an Olympian, she knows what it means to live by the Olympic values. She knows how to lead with courage. She is driven by a desire to give back to the Olympic Movement that shaped her life. With her election, you have also sent a powerful message to the world that the IOC is constantly evolving. As the first woman and the first African to hold this position, and, moreover, as the youngest IOC President since Pierre de Coubertin, she embodies the truly global, youthful, and forward-looking character of our Olympic community. I say with confidence: from tomorrow, with Kirsty Coventry, the Olympic Movement will be in the best hands. »
The IOC Executive Board will meet on Wednesday
The former swimmer thanked her predecessor, as well as her family and loved ones, at length when she officially began her term. I never would have imagined back in 1992, when I dreamed of going to the Olympic Games and winning a gold medal for Zimbabwe, that I would be here today with all of you, helping other young people around the world achieve their dreams. We are all custodians of this incredible platform. A platform that inspires, that changes lives, that brings hope. These are not things to be taken lightly, and I look forward to working with each and every one of you to ensure that we continue to inspire, to change lives, and, in the divided world we live in today, to be a beacon of hope. »
The President's schedule for the coming days includes consultations with IOC members to help develop the Olympic Movement's new roadmap, followed by the IOC Executive Board meeting on Wednesday and Thursday in Lausanne. Symbolically, Bach and Coventry were once again side by side on Monday at the Lausanne cemetery to lay a wreath on Pierre de Coubertin's grave. It's an image we won't be able to get used to: from now on, she's the boss.
