Kirsty Coventry being elected the next president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is a landmark development in several respects. The youngest, the first woman, and the first African to take over arguably the most powerful post in world sport is worthy of celebration.
Coventry’s victory, if not totally unexpected, was hardly a foregone conclusion with someone of the stature of Sebastian Coe, another two-time Olympic gold medallist, head of World Athletics (WA) and the head of the 2012 London Games organising committee, also in fray.
That Coe received only eight votes in the election, with Coventry securing a majority after just one round was a major turn-up for the books, something not to the liking of many in Britain, for whom their ‘Lord Coe’ was the most deserving candidate by virtue of his nationality itself. That he received less than a third of the votes received by the son of a former IOC president must have been hard to take.
It brings back memories of England failing to get hosting rights for the FIFA World Cup for either 2018 or 2022, with the bids from Russia and Qatar being successful. Suddenly, doubts were cast on the whole bidding and decision-making process. It smells of entitlement even though many British analysts have termed Coventry’s election as a victory for status quo and the resistance to change in an organization consisting of royals, heads of state, former sportspersons and leaders from business and politics. In fact, in most respects, Coe was the quintessential ‘establishment man’ – a Tory squire, so to speak.
As far as sporting credentials are concerned, Coventry is no less worthy than Coe. The latter, a middle-distance runner, won gold medals in the 1500m and silver in the 800m at the 1980 Moscow and Los Angeles Games, both editions marred by boycotts. Coventry is a seven-time Olympic medallist swimmer, winning gold in the 200m backstroke at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing editions. Both Games featured almost all major sporting nations. In addition, she has four silver and a bronze.
Being from Britain obviously allows Coe more visibility and a higher profile. But there is a world outside that island as well that may not be too pleased to be told that a Briton still knows best. Call it a colonial hangover, but there is often a chip on many shoulders, especially among members of the erstwhile Empire.
Fit for the role
Coventry was considered to be outgoing IOC chief Thomas Bach’s preferred candidate. If anything, that should be to her advantage, not a drawback, especially when there were no female members of the exclusive organization till 1981. The Zimbabwean was only the second woman to run for the presidency. She was every bit an outsider in the contest, even though she has been an IOC member since 2013 and held a number of important posts.
Her relative youth should stand her in good stead as the Olympic Movement attempts to attract new audiences. And with someone from a continent that has yet to stage the Olympic Games rising to the top spot, there may be hope and confidence in Africa that anything is possible.
Coventry’s best days as a swimmer coincided with one of the darkest periods in her country’s history with racial tension and repression giving the nation in southern Africa a bad reputation. However, the vibes that her exploits generated in those days of strife cannot be overemphasized.
Attempts to discredit her by linking her to the regime of Robert Mugabe and the subsequent governments are hypocritical. Coventry has been the minister for sport in Zimbabwe at one point and the experience of navigating a setting that is less than ideal is much more valuable than operating in a First World environment where things are much easier to get done.
If speaking up on political issues in one’s own country should be a criterion for eligibility to hold a top administrative office, hardly any Indian sportsperson will ever be in contention. To her credit, Coventry decided to get her hands dirty by trying to make a difference in Zimbabwe, rather than moving to a developed country where she could have had a less stressful life. She wouldn’t have been short of options.
Both Coe and Coventry had issues they championed in the lead-up to the election. The former, as WA president, took a hard line against Russia for doping as well as its invasion of Ukraine. He also has his own views on gender eligibility and also introduced cash awards for gold medallists at the Paris Olympics, a move that many other international sports federations may not be able to emulate.
Top concerns
Coventry, 41, has made clear her stand on ‘protecting women’s sport’ by pledging to introduce a blanket ban on transgender women competing in female competitions at the Olympics. In the light of recent events, especially at last year’s Olympics, this has become one of the major bones of contention in the sporting world.
That she would only be the 10th person to head the IOC, and the fact that she got support from more than half the house in the first round points to the confidence she enjoys. There are a lot of conflicts around the world – those in the Middle East and Eastern Europe being the most prominent at the moment – which the IOC will have to navigate through, and being from a country that’s not considered a major player in world affairs could allow her some wriggle room and an opportunity to show her diplomatic skills.
The next Olympics are in Los Angeles and Coventry will have to ensure that everyone who qualifies for the Games should be allowed to compete there. That’s easier said than done given US President Donald Trump’s penchant to ban entry of nationals from several countries.
The hosting rights for the 2036 edition, for which India has thrown its hat in the ring, will be decided during Coventry’s reign. South Africa may also be one of the bidders as also countries in the Middle East. Where she stands in this regard and what influence she can or will wield remains to be seen, but Thursday’s vote at the Greek luxury resort of Costa Navarino has been a breath of fresh air in the global sporting landscape. There’s every chance that the delegates at the election chose wisely, with the future of the Olympic Movement in their minds.
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