144th IOC Session

The 144th IOC Session was held in Costa Navarino, Pylos, Greece, from 18 to 21 March 2025. At this session, Zimbabwean former Olympic swimmer Kirsty Coventry was elected as the tenth President of the International Olympic Committee, becoming the first woman and the first African to hold the position and succeeding the ninth President, German Thomas Bach.

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.

The Session itself took place in the House of Events at the Costa Navarino resort in Pylos, while the Opening Ceremony performances took place in Ancient Olympia.

IOC presidential election

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 the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires in 2013. The tenth IOC President, Kirsty Coventry, was elected at this session.

Candidates

On 16 September 2024, the IOC announced that the following candidates will run for the presidency:

Prince Faisal bin Hussein – IOC Member since 2010, brother of King Abdullah II, and Member of the IOC Executive Board
Sebastian Coe – IOC member since 2020, President of World Athletics, President of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, four-time Olympic medalist in middle-distance running (Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984)
Kirsty Coventry – IOC member since 2013, Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation in Zimbabwe, Olympic champion in swimming (Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008), and Member of the IOC Executive Board
Johan 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 the French National Olympic and Sports Committee and Chair of the IOC Esports Commission
Juan Antonio Samaranch Salisachs – IOC member since 2001, son of former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, financial analyst, and IOC Vice President
Morinari Watanabe – IOC member since 2018, Member of the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, and President of the International Gymnastics Federation

Results

With 49 votes, Coventry became the first woman to hold the IOC Presidency, the youngest, and the first African to do so.

Boxing inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics

During the session, boxing was officially included in the sports program for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, despite the IOC's suspension of the International Boxing Association (IBA) due to concerns over governance and financial management. The events will now be sponsored by World Boxing, a new governing body replacing the IBA.

Previously, President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach had announced that boxing's inclusion would be decided at some point in 2025.

References

External links