Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwe’s most decorated Olympian, has set her sights on becoming the first female president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
If elected, Coventry would also become the youngest person and the first individual from outside Europe or North America to lead the IOC in its 130-year history.
The 41-year-old former swimmer is committed to challenging the traditional structure of the organization, particularly in advocating for more support and protection for female athletes. Coventry, who won seven Olympic medals, including two golds, and has served as Zimbabwe’s minister of sport since 2018, is focused on empowering women and ensuring greater inclusivity within the Olympic movement.
In a recent interview with BBC Sport Africa, she expressed her desire to inspire women globally by demonstrating that they should not fear leadership roles. Coventry’s leadership vision includes embracing new technologies like online streaming and artificial intelligence (AI) to keep the Olympic Games relevant and accessible to a broader audience.
As the only woman in the race for IOC president, Coventry is also prioritizing sensitive issues affecting female athletes, including gender-based violence and maternity support. She highlighted the success of introducing nursing rooms at recent Olympics and emphasized the need for further measures to ensure more inclusive participation for all athletes.
Coventry also expressed her stance on the complex issue of transgender athletes in women’s sports, advocating for the importance of scientific research to maintain fairness in competition. She remains open to future discussions on the matter, but believes transgender women currently hold an advantage in the female category.
Rather than introducing prize money at the Games, as seen in Paris 2024, Coventry believes the IOC’s funds should focus on supporting all athletes globally, particularly in terms of access to training, health, and mental health services.
The election for IOC president will take place in March, with Coventry facing competition from six other candidates, including David Lappartient of France, Morinari Watanabe of Japan, and Lord Sebastian Coe of the UK.
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