Steve Wilson

RT @iocmedia: IOC President Thomas Bach and IOC President-elect Kirsty Coventry held their first meeting this morning to prepare for the tr…

World Anti-Doping Agency President Witold Banka tells the IOC session that WADA "wholeheartedly condemns" the planned "Enhanced Games." Says the event "would send the wrong signal to young people around the world and undermine all the values at the center of sport."

Samaranch said Coventry's election was symbolically important. 'I based my candidacy on experience. Now we have a candidacy based on a new way of doing things, a new generation, a new continent and new gender. Everbody in the IOC, I am convinced,will be behind her.'

Juan Antonio Samaranch, who finished second to Coventry with 28 votes, said: 'Congratulations to her. I’ve already told her I want to be part of her team and work with her. I admire her very much and I will be very comfortable being part of her team.’

Coe added: 'It's pretty clear that the athletes and, in particular the female members, voted for her (Coventry) in the first round. I’m really pleased for Kirsty. We’ve got an athlete at the head of the organization. That's very important.'

Seb Coe regarding his heavy defeat in the IOC presidential election (he received only 8 votes): 'Clearly it’s a disappointing result, but that’s what happens when you go into elections.'

Coventry said one of the first to congratulate her after being elected IOC president was her 5-year-old daughter Ella. "My little girl ran up and said, 'Mom you won!'"

Coventry confirmed she will be leaving her position as sports minister in Zimbabwe and move full time to Lausanne, Switzerland, to serve as IOC president.

Kirsty Coventry became emotional as she paid tribute to longtime U.S. IOC member Anita DeFrantz as a 'huge inspiration.' She said: 'I was very proud I could make her proud. She was the first woman to run for this position. Women like her paved the way for women like me.'

Coventry: 'My firm belief is that President Trump is a huge lover of sport and will want these games to be a success.’ She added the IOC will hold firm to its policy that all qualified athletes be allowed to enter the country to take part in the Games.

Kirsty Coventry was asked about meeting w/ Donald Trump to discuss the LA28 Games. ‘I have been dealing w/ difficult men in high positions since I was 20 years old. I have learned that communication will be key. That is something that will happen early on.'

Re earlier complaints about the election process, Thomas Bach called it 'an extremely fair election.' 'The same procedures applied for all the candidates. There is a good democratic rule: When you don’t win an election, don’t blame the voters & don’t blame the procedure.'

Sebastian Coe, the World Athletics president who boated the strongest resume of all seven candidates, was humbled by receiving only 8 votes.

IOC members proved loyal to Thomas Bach & handed him a perfect farewell gift by electing Kirsty Coventry as his successor. He elevated her to promiment roles in the IOC & was determined to have her succeed him as the first female president. What Bach wants, Bach usually gets.

The IOC vote totals are in: Kirsty Coventry won on 1st round w/ 49 out of 97 votes - just enough to secure a majority. Juan Antonio Samaranch got 28 votes, followed by Sebastian Coe (8), Morinari Watanabe & David Lappartient (4 each), Prince Feisal & Johan Eliasch (2 each).

Coventry was elected to an 8-year term, w/ the possibility of re-election to a second 4-year term. She will officially take office on June 23, when Bach leaves after a 12-year term. One of her first challenges: dealing with the Trump administration ahead of the LA28 Games.

Coventry ctd: "I will make all of you very, very proud and hopefully extremely confident in the decisions you've taken today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now we've got some work together."