The Zimbabwe has eight Olympic medals in its history, seven have been brought by Kisrty Coventryfour in the tank of the Athens 2004 games (gold in the 200 m back, silver in the 100 m back and bronze in the 200 m mixed), three from the “Bolle” plant of Beijing 2008, (200 m back, silver in the 100 m back, in the 200 m mixed and in the 400 m mixed). He was twenty years old in Athens, less than three hundred kilometers from there to Costa Navarino, with 49 votes out of 97, was elected to succeed Thomas Bach (with her in the photo) e On June 23, 2025 at 41 years old, he will settled for an 8 -year mandate as the first woman, after 131 years, first African, as well as younger president in the history of the International Olympic Committee.
Supported as “heir” by outgoing president Bach, He obtained the votes needed already at the first electoral round, a quick consent, which he surprised her before he said he was happy to have broken through another crystal roof, which is undoubtedly true for an organ tended to tradition and in the imagination characterized by a certain slowness in renewal.
The political career and the commitment to swimming
Minister of Sport in the Government of Emmerson Mnangagwa, – who is trying to change the rules to obtain a third -term possibility, not foreseen by the Constitution while the country, before the expiry of 2028 – Coventry, a surname clearly of British origin, belongs to the white minority of the country, 98% inhabited by people of bantu ethnic groups and characterized by heavy social inequalities.
In addition to having given prestige to the country from the tank, Kirsty Coventry has held numerous institutional roles in sport, including member of the IOC, president of the Athletes Commission of the IOC, vice -president of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee and member of the World Anti -Doping Agency. Founded the Kirsty Coventry Academy, a swimming learning program not only to recruit new talents, but above all as a safety and prevention factor, to help reduce the victims of drowning, One of the greatest causes of death among the young Africans. His also the non-profit Heroes organization, which supports the disadvantaged communities in Zimbabwe with initiatives dedicated to young people, health and education, with the ambition to expand throughout Africa. The sporting results made her an idol for the country so much that they are nicknamed “The treasure of the Zimbabwe”.
The hot reaction
“This is an extraordinary moment,” the interested party commented hot, who defeated seven candidates, including Sebastian Coe former symbol of the British middle distance and current president of the international athletics federation, and Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr, Spanish, son of the homonymous who held the presidency from 1980 to 2001. «As a child -when he started with swimming -, I never thought that one day I would be here, to make my contribution to our incredible movement. This is not only a great honor, but it is also a reminder of my commitment to each of you: I will guide this organization with great pride, with the values in the center. And I will make all of you very, very proud and, I hope, extremely confident in the decision you made today. Now we have a job to do together. This campaign was incredible and made us better, it made us a stronger movement ».
The challenges on the table
Coventry inherits some critical issues, before the management of Russian and Belarusian athletes currently authorized to participate the games without hymn or flag, As a result of the sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine. The congratulations to Coventry certainly interested from the Russia institutions and the hope of a “more independent” sports policy suggest hope in a change of course.
The other thorny node concerns the different issue of regulation of access to transgender athletes competitions and the definition of the parameters concerning cases such as the one exploded in Paris 2024 with the Algerian boxeralso to prevent the risk that disputes may occur in moments of maximum exposure with serious emotional and human costs for the people involved.
Asked on the first issue and in particular to the executive order of Trump (the next summer Olympics is assigned to Los Angeles) to schools, universities and sports associations to prohibit access to women’s competitions, he replied: “It will take a communication”, he replied, “we will create a task force that will examine the question of transgender and the protection of the female category. (…) and once we have made the decision collectively. As that is, the international federations, that decision will be made very clear and we will not move from that decision ».
Regarding the doping and Wada of which he was a member, he said: “Speaking of anti -doping -said the new president -as a former Olympic athlete I believe:” Important that everyone is subjected to the same standards. This happens for our athletes and should take place throughout the movement. On this I will be adamant, it is very important that this is the case. We have some jobs to make sure it is. Among the first compliments I received there were those of the President, the Vice President and the General Manager of Wada. We will have a strong employment relationship ». This is also a complex theme, especially after the controversy that has invested the world anti -doping agency on the case of Chinese swimmers, and some rules are being rewritten.
The other great challenge of the Coventry mandate will be the sustainability of the Olympiad in the future: today there is already the race to apply and the risk is increasingly that countries are done, which by virtue of their prospera finances can ensure continuity of the event, but a little in derogation from the values promoting cases of so -called Sportwashing. During the mandate the seat of 2036 will certainly be elected, 2032 is already assigned to Brisbane.
Meanwhile, there is a certainty: Milan-Cortina 2026 will be the first Olympiad of history officially open by a president.
