Kirsty Coventry Boasts Strong Credentials for IOC Presidency; Protecting Female Athletes a Focus
During her Hall of Fame swimming career, Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry stood on an Olympic podium on seven occasions, medal performances that spanned the 2004 and 2008 Games. In addition to capturing back-to-back titles in the 200 backstroke, Coventry added four silver medals and a bronze medal to make her the most-accomplished African Olympian in history.
Now, she’s looking to lead the Olympic movement.
Coventry is one of seven candidates to become the next president of the IOC, which will bid farewell to Germany’s Thomas Bach after a 12-year tenure. The vote to name Bach’s successor will take place later this month. Joining Coventry as a candidate are Great Britain’s Sebastian Coe, Swede/Brit Johan Eliasch, France’s David Lappartient, Spains’s Juan Antonio Samaranch, Japan’s Morinari Watanabe and Jordan’s Prince Feisal al Hussein.
Photo Courtesy: John Lohn
The 41-year-old Coventry, who was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as part of the distinguished Class of 2023, would be the first woman to lead the IOC. She is the Sports Minister of Zimbabwe and has been a longtime IOC member.
“I don’t think it’s just about gender, the same way that I don’t think it’s just about being the only African candidate,” Coventry said in an interview with BBC Sport. “It really is about, ‘What does the movement need today?’ I think being a double Olympic champion and having the experiences that I’ve had within our movement and outside, all bring a lot of value to ensuring I could lead this organization.”
One of the issues Coventry has addressed is protecting the female category, which includes ensuring that any transgender athletes who have gone through male puberty are not allowed to compete in the female classification. The topic has been a hotly debated topic over the past few years, but the IOC has deferred to various international federations when establishing rules.
Coventry wants the IOC to be more involved.
“I believe with the work that has been done with the IFs, the rules they have put in place, you can see there has been research done where it’s showing a disadvantage to women, to the female category” she told BBC Sport, in regard to transgender participation in the female category. “From the conversations that I’ve had now, a lot of the international federations want the IOC to take a more leadership role. We have more facts, there’s more science and medical research being done. We need to protect the female category and I think it’s time right now for the IOC to take that leading role.”
