New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) congratulated Kirsty Coventry on becoming the first female president of the International Olympic Council (IOC) in Costa Navarino, Greece on Thursday.

Shah was present during the 144th IOC Session where Coventry was chosen over fellow presidential candidates HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein, David Lappartient, Johan Eliasch, Juan Antonio Samaranch, Lord Sebastian Coe and Morinari Watanabe.

Coventry will assume office after a handover from President Thomas Bach on June 23.

“Congratulations and best wishes to newly-elected IOC President

@KirstyCoventry, an honour thoroughly deserved and something I’m humbled to have been present for in Greece after hosting you at the @ICC #ChampionsTrophy. I look forward to working with you and your team on cricket’s inclusion in the @LA28 Games – and beyond,” Shah wrote on X.

Andrew Parsons IPC president said, “The IOC is the IPC’s most important strategic partner and on behalf of the whole Paralympic Movement I would like to congratulate Kirsty on her election as IOC President.

“To become the first woman and African to be President of the IOC is historic, and throughout her campaign Kirsty championed harnessing the power of sport to make a difference. Over the last weeks and months, we have spoken regularly on building an even stronger partnership between the IOC and IPC. We look forward to working with her from June when the handover to the new IOC President takes place.

“I’d also like to thank President Bach for his service over the last 12 years and congratulate him on his election as IOC Honorary President for Life. Under President Bach’s leadership the co-operation between the IOC and IPC has grown much stronger, and I hold in high regard the relationship we have developed together while working collaboratively to advance our respective Movements,” he added.

Five-time Olympian Coventry has been an IOC Member since 2013 and IOC Executive Board Member from 2018-2021 and from 2023 to present day. A former Chairperson of the IOC Athletes Commission between 2018-2021, she currently serves as Chairperson for the Co-ordination Commissions for Brisbane 2032, as well as the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. She has served as Zimbabwe’s Minister of Sport since 2018. Additionally, she served as a Vice President of the International Surfing Federation from 2017 to 2024.

–IANS

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