Coventry Receives Key to Olympic House

Coventry Receives Key to Olympic House

by Philip Barker

The new International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry has received the symbolic key to Olympic House from Thomas Bach in his final hours in office.

“The movement has been served by you with pure passion and purpose for 12 years, you have kept us united through some of the most turbulent times,” Coventry told him.

“We look forward to making you proud in the future. It is a platform to inspire, a platform to change lives, and a platform to bring hope. These are not things taken likely.”

Among those watching was Coventry’s six-year-old daughter Ella and baby Lily.

“You are my constant reminders of why we do what we do every single day, a constant reminder of why this movement is relevant, why it needs to change, why we need to embrace the new ways, and you will be a constant reminder,” Coventry said at the Ceremony, held in a specially constructed tent in the gardens of Olympic House.

She also presented the Olympic Order to Bach who has been made Honorary IOC President for life.

The Olympic Order was inaugurated 50 years ago when a posthumous award was made to Avery Brundage, IOC President from 1952 to 1972.

To set the Ceremony in motion there had been a rendition of the theme written by Vangelis for “Chariots of Fire” played by Ricky Kam, a young pianist from Berne.

Violinist Manon Galy from Toulouse performed the Olympic Anthem, composed by the Corfiot composer Spiros Samara for the 1896 Athens Games.

Coventry had been elected President at the IOC Session on March 20th in Costa Navarino.

“You have placed your trust in someone who’s life story is deeply rooted in the Olympic movement,” Bach told IOC members in his last speech as President.

“With her election you have also sent a powerful message to the world, the IOC continues to evolve. As the first female and the first African to hold this position and indeed the youngest since Pierre de Coubertin, she reflects the truly global nature and the youthful forward-looking spirit of our Olympic community.”

“As an Olympian she knows what it means to live with the Olympic values, she knows how to lead with courage, she is driven by the Olympic values and the desire to give back to our Olympic movement that has shaped her life.”

“Today I see the same purpose and energy in our new Olympic leadership, this is why I believe with all my heart that the Olympic movement is ready for the future.”

“The joy of passing the torch to a new generation, on this Olympic day a new chapter opens before us full of opportunities, carried by fresh energy and renewed good purpose.”

“I know she will lead our beloved Olympic movement with conviction, she will lead it with integrity and always putting our values first, she brings her own unique style and her own dynamic perspective. She has a new voice that resonates with the young generation.”

“With Kirsty Coventry, the Olympic movement will be in the best of hands,” Bach insisted.

At 41, Coventry is the youngest to hold the IOC Presidency since Baron Pierre de Coubertin who stood down 100 years ago.

In Coubertin’s time, there were no female members of the IOC.

Throughout his life he remained opposed to women taking part in Olympic sport.

It wasn’t until 1981, only two years before Coventry’s birth, that the first two women were admitted to the IOC.

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