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The144th IOC Session was held in Costa Navarino,Pylos,Greece, from 18 to 21 March 2025.[1] At this session, Zimbabwean former Olympic swimmerKirsty Coventry was elected as the tenthPresident of the International Olympic Committee, becoming the first woman and the first African to hold the position and succeeding the ninth President, GermanThomas Bach.[2]
Greece was originally selected to host the 137th IOC Session that was due to take place in 2021, however,COVID-19 travel restrictions forced the session to be held virtually.[3][4]
The Session itself took place in the House of Events at the Costa Navarino resort inPylos, while the Opening Ceremony performances took place inAncient Olympia.[5]
Thomas Bach, who is term-limited as President of the International Olympic Committee, concluded his tenure as President at this session. Bach was elected President at the125th IOC Session inBuenos Aires in 2013.[6][7] The tenth IOC President,Kirsty Coventry, was elected at this session.
On 16 September 2024, the IOC announced that the following candidates will run for the presidency:[8][9]
Prince Faisal bin Hussein – IOC Member since 2010, brother ofKing Abdullah II, and Member of the IOC Executive Board
Sebastian Coe – IOC member since 2020, President ofWorld Athletics,President of theLondon Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, four-time Olympic medalist in middle-distance running (Moscow 1980 andLos Angeles 1984)
Kirsty Coventry – IOC member since 2013,Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation inZimbabwe, Olympic champion in swimming (Athens 2004 andBeijing 2008), and Member of the IOC Executive BoardJohan Eliasch – IOC Member since 2024, President of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, and environmental activist
David Lappartient – IOC Member since 2022, President of The International Cycling Union, President of theFrench National Olympic and Sports Committee and Chair of the IOC Esports Commission
Juan Antonio Samaranch Salisachs – IOC member since 2001, son of former IOC PresidentJuan Antonio Samaranch, financial analyst, and IOC Vice President
Morinari Watanabe – IOC member since 2018, Member of theTokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, and President of the International Gymnastics Federation| Election of the 10th IOC President[10] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Round 1 | ||||
| Kirsty Coventry | 49 | ||||
| Juan Antonio Samaranch Salisachs | 28 | ||||
| Sebastian Coe | 8 | ||||
| David Lappartient | 4 | ||||
| Morinari Watanabe | 4 | ||||
| Johan Eliasch | 2 | ||||
| Prince Faisal bin Hussein | 2 | ||||
With 49 votes, Coventry became the first woman to hold the IOC Presidency, the youngest, and the firstAfrican to do so.[11][12]
During the session,boxing was officially included in the sports program for the2028 Summer Olympics inLos Angeles, despite the IOC's suspension of theInternational Boxing Association (IBA) due to concerns over governance and financial management.[13][14] The events will now be sponsored byWorld Boxing, a new governing body replacing the IBA.[15][16]
Previously, President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach had announced that boxing's inclusion would be decided at some point in 2025.[17]
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