EOC President Capralos attends the IOC Presidential Handover Ceremony on Historical Olympic Day
EOC President Spyros Capralos attended today’s IOC President Handover Ceremony in Lausanne, in his capacity as an IOC Member in Greece.
After a hugely successful 12 years, which included the magnificent return of the Olympic Games to Europe in Paris last year, the ninth IOC President Thomas Bach formally passed the role to the 10th IOC President Kirsty Coventry during a special ceremony held today on the occasion of the Olympic Day 2025.
President Coventry is Africa’s most successful Olympian with seven swimming medals for Zimbabwe, who was first elected as an IOC Member in 2013 as a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission. She Chaired the IOC Athletes’ Commission from 2018 to 2021, and was elected as the IOC’s first female President during the 144th IOC Session in Costa Navarino in March 2025.
During today’s handover ceremony, an historic moment as Kirsty Coventry became the first African female IOC President on Olympic Day, the new IOC President praised President Bach for his role in ensuring athlete voice is heard in the Olympic Movement, and thanked her family and friends for helping to keep her grounded and humble.
President Coventry said: “Our Movement, each and every single one of you, is that spiderweb. It’s complex, it’s beautiful and it’s strong.
“But it only works if we work together, and if we remain united. Every single one of you plays a very significant role in our very important ecosystem. Working together over these next few years and consistently finding ways to strengthen and keep united our Movement will ensure and will allow for all of us that we could wake up daily and continue to inspire the next generation, to continue to change lives, and most importantly, to make dreams come true.”
President Bach was elected as IOC Honorary President for Life during the 144th IOC Session and was today awarded the Olympic Order in Gold by President Coventry, recognising his outstanding contribution to the world of sport and faithfulness to the Olympic Values.
He reflected on his time as IOC President and expressed confidence in the Olympic Movement’s future under President Coventry.
“To everyone who brings our Olympic community to life – the athletes, the National Olympic Committees and International Federations, our TOP Partners and Media Rights-Holders, and our devoted IOC staff, guided by our Director General: each of you has shaped this, our shared Olympic journey, in your own way,” President Bach said.
“Your belief in our mission, your unwavering support – I have felt it every step. In difficult moments, it was your support that helped us to navigate forward. Without all of you, the Olympic Movement would not be where it is today.”
President Capralos reiterated the EOC’s gratitude to President Bach for his support of the Olympic Movement in Europe, and looked ahead to an exciting new era under President Coventry.
He said: “Today’s IOC President Handover Ceremony was an historic day and an emotional occasion.
“As we express our sincere thanks to President Bach for his unwavering support for the EOC and our European Olympic Family, we look forward with great excitement to the start of President Coventry’s mandate.
“The EOC will continue to offer our steadfast support to the IOC and President Coventry, and we look forward to working closely with her.”
The IOC President Handover Ceremony took place on Olympic Day, which marks the founding of the modern Olympic Games in 1894 and this year has “Let’s Move?” as its theme.
“Let’s Move?” highlights the benefits of playing sport and working out together, and the EOC shares this belief in the power of movement to bring motivation, community and joy.
The EOC joins the IOC and its NOCs in encouraging everyone across Europe to invite a “+1” to walk, run, dance, skip and move with them, and share their moves across social media using the hashtag #LetsMove.
Further information can be found on the IOC website here, and the Let’s Move 2025 toolkit can be found here.
