New President: Key for the Olympics: Bach hands over to Coventry at the IOC

Thomas Bach deeply moved put the key decorated with Olympic rings in the hands of his official heiress Kirsty Coventry. After twelve years at the head of the International Olympic Committee, a 63-minute ceremony in Lausanne marked the end of the 71-year-old’s eventful presidency. “I gave the Olympic movement everything I could,” said Bach in his farewell speech.

As the first official act, his successor presented him with the Olympic Order in gold. The IOC members Bach had already chosen the honorary president on a lifetime. “Today is a day of gratitude, a day of confidence, a day of joy,” said Bach.

Coventry (41) is the first woman who leads the IOC in its history, and the first president from Africa. “I can’t expect what is ahead of me,” said the former world-class swimmer from Zimbabwe.

Many herds of crisis and hard criticism in Bach’s term

Bach led the IOC through turbulent times. As “one crisis after another and sometimes several at the same time”, the native of Würzburg recently described his presidency. Russian state doping, the corona pandemic, wars and the concern for almost all Olympic games in these years put Bach and the IOC under continuous pressure.

The longstanding proximity to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin and the mild use of China’s human rights violations are among the points of criticism that Bach is faced with especially from his German homeland. “You make a lot of mistakes. But when it comes to the big decisions, I am at peace with myself,” said the fencing Olympic champion from 1976 a few days ago in the district of international athletes.

The spectacular summer games of Paris 2024 as a legacy and guide for a brilliant Olympic future – so Bach and the IOC will be happy to represent these days. The next five Olympic hosts have already been determined by 2034. There are also a number of applicants for the time afterwards, including Germany. The IOC has secured billions in contracts with media partners and sponsors until the next decade, even if several large donors recently jumped in.

Coventry promises more say

The fact that Bach’s desired candidate in Coventry surprisingly won in the first ballot showed once again how the German had the German circling under control and should still guarantee him a certain influence on his legacy. Even if the business lawyer claimed: “If I am asked, I would like to continue advice, but I will not impose myself.”

After her successful career as a swimmer, who crowned her with two Olympic wins, Coventry found the way to the IOC through the athlete commission. Most recently, the mother of two was part of the circle of the executive, in which the central decisions were made under Bach. In the future there will be more say for all IOC members, Coventry announced. “Everyone gets their place, everyone should get involved,” she said.

The choice of a woman from Africa at the top of the long scandal -reduced umbrella organization, which had been led by nine men in 131 years earlier, cannot be discussed. “I never give up, I’m modest and work hard,” Coventry described the impression she wants to leave. Coventry already assured several times that she had known for a long time how to deal with difficult men.

Trump as a delicate Olympic host

She can prove this from the host of the 2028 summer games in Los Angeles: Donald Trump. The entry bans imposed by the US President for people from a number of countries and Trump’s posting of the National Guard due to demonstrations in the western coast metropolis are likely to have been obtained.

Coventry’s mentor Bach will no longer have to deal with these challenges. In the coming weeks he would like to devote himself above all to two things: “Sleep and sport.” He will soon hike the Jakobsweg to look for inspiration for the future. “And then I’ll see if people have ideas where I can still help,” said Bach.