Kirsty Coventry, the newly elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is making waves in the global sports community with her focus on advancing equality and diversity within the Olympic movement. In a recent interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) in Greece’s Costa Navarino, Coventry highlighted the significant progress made in this area over the past 12 years. She emphasized the need to build on this progress and ensure that the impact extends beyond the IOC to international federations, national Olympic committees, and national federations.
“We’ve achieved so many good things, especially when it comes to equality and diversity within the movement over the last 12 years, and we’ve now got to leverage off of that. I think we’re doing a really incredible job in the IOC and I would like us to filter that down to the international federations, the national Olympic committees, the national federation. So there’ll be a big focus on that, a lot of work to do, but there is a really incredible momentum right now and I want us to leverage off that momentum,” said Coventry.
In addition to her focus on inclusivity in sports, Coventry also addressed the pressing global challenges affecting athletes, particularly conflicts impacting her home continent of Africa. She called for a proactive approach to safeguarding athletes during turbulent times. “We’ve got conflicts around the world, especially on my continent at the moment as well. This challenge I don’t really see going away anytime soon. So I’d like to set up a task force that is going to look at coming up with some policies and some frameworks that will allow for us as a movement to navigate these very sensitive times with some core principles of protecting and supporting athletes,” said Coventry.
At 41 years old, Coventry made history by becoming the first woman and the first African to lead the global Olympic movement as the 10th IOC president. She won the presidency in the first round of voting during the 144th IOC Session in Greece and will take office after June 23, succeeding Thomas Bach. Coventry has been serving as Zimbabwe’s Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts, and Recreation since 2018. As a former Olympic swimming champion, she is one of Africa’s most decorated athletes, with seven Olympic medals, including two golds.
Coventry’s election as IOC president marks a significant milestone for gender equality and diversity in sports leadership. Her commitment to advancing inclusivity and addressing global challenges facing athletes demonstrates her dedication to making a positive impact on the Olympic movement and beyond. With her leadership, the future of the Olympic movement looks bright, with a renewed focus on equality, diversity, and athlete welfare.
