Olympics: Kirsty Coventry Elected President of IOC

Sport & Rights Alliance Calls on New President to Prioritize Human Rights and Good Governance

(Amsterdam, 20 March 2025) — Kirsty Coventry has just made history as the first woman to be elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). While this is an important achievement, we call on the new president to use her influence to focus on the protection and rights of athletes, workers, spectators and communities, ensuring ongoing dialogue and meaningful consultation with potentially impacted groups.

In a time of unprecedented human rights backlash and violence against vulnerable communities, it is crucial the new president leads the global sporting community by example – and with a priority on the human rights and good governance commitments at the heart of the Olympic Charter.

Read the statement from executive director Andrea Florence below:

"As the new president of the International Olympic Committee, Kirsty Coventry should prioritize the human rights and good governance commitments currently placed at the heart of the Olympic Charter. This election is happening at a pivotal moment in history, amid unprecedented human rights backlash and violence against vulnerable communities. It is crucial that the new president lead the global sporting community by example. We call on the new president to focus on the protection and rights of athletes, workers, spectators and communities, ensuring ongoing dialogue and meaningful consultation with potentially impacted groups. The Olympic Movement's legacy depends entirely on its leaders' unwavering commitment to equality, dignity, and integrity across all dimensions of sport – this will determine whether global sport truly advances the progress of tomorrow or merely perpetuates the injustices of today." Andrea Florence Executive Director, Sport & Rights Alliance

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Sport has the potential to be a catalyst for human development, unity, and freedom, but too often it instead brings harm to its athletes, fans, and communities. We exist to uncover and rectify the many abuses that exist both in and around sport. We aim to transform sports into an authentic force for good.

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