Editorial | Kirsty Coventry must rise to Olympic challenge after stunning win
The first woman to head the Games’ top international body has sensitive issues to tackle before the next events in Italy and the US
The election of a new president for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) comes at a pivotal time for the movement, which is facing many challenges.
Kirsty Coventry, a former Olympic swimming champion, emerged victorious and will take up the most influential position in global sport in June.
Coventry’s elevation marks the beginning of a new era, with Thomas Bach, who led the organisation for 12 years, stepping down. And she has already broken new ground.
The new leader is the first woman to become president in the IOC’s 131-year history. At 41, the Zimbabwean sports minister is the youngest to head the body. She is also the first president from Africa. It is an impressive achievement.
Her ascendancy is refreshing, showcasing diversity, a core value of the Olympic movement, which achieved gender parity for athletes for the first time in last summer’s Paris Games.
But testing times lie ahead, as the organisation prepares for the Winter Olympics in Italy next year and the summer Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
Coventry intends to set up task forces to tackle two of the most sensitive issues, concerning transgender athletes competing in women’s events and the role of competitors from conflict zones. The transgender issue caused controversy in Paris. Coventry has pledged to protect women athletes.