A whirlwind has taken hold of Kirsty Coventry since her election on ThursdayThe future president of the International Olympic Committee returned home to Zimbabwe on Sunday. The seven-time Olympic medalist was celebrated with great fanfare upon her arrival at the airport. “It’s not just my success, it’s ours. We’ve broken down barriers”, she declared in front of her compatriots. The first woman to preside over the IOC has mainly given interviews and started to prepare the ground with Thomas Bach to be able to take over in June.
A president, a commander
The Zimbabwean spoke with the current president on Friday morning. The initial meeting established a roadmap for how to proceed leading up to the June 23 transfer of power. "No decision will be taken against the advice of the president-elect. All decisions that need to be made will be discussed between us, and the president-elect's advice will, of course, prevail in the event of a difference of opinion", assured Thomas Bach to the press. The leader showed himself “happy, relaxed and relieved” the day after the vote, which gave rise to a real plebiscite. "I am very relieved by the unity that the election result has demonstrated", he said at his press conference, Coventry having obtained an absolute majority in the first round.
The German thus showed his confidence in the future of the Olympic movement with his colleague at the helm. "She's used to having to meet expectationshe recalled. It helps to have been an athlete, you know how to deal with it. If you have a clear compass, and he does, I have no doubt he can manage those expectations. » They will be particularly strong in Africa, especially since Coventry heads the Coordination Commission for the Dakar 2026 YOG. The continent hopes for only one thing: that the message sent by the Zimbabwean's election will translate into a strengthening of Africa's place within the Olympic movement. Particularly through the organization of a first edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, potentially as early as 2036.
Three months to be ready
Bach and Coventry will consult to decide which of the two will attend which event over the coming months, to ensure the effectiveness of the IOC's action. It has already been agreed that the German will chair the IOC Executive Board on April 9, in the presence of the former swimmer. Their good collaboration is beyond doubt, given the esteem they have for each other. Coventry's resounding victory also testifies to the weight and influence of her predecessor, who had made her his favorite. The shared breakfast on Friday morning provided an opportunity to discuss "technical aspects and dates of the transition" according to Bach, who mentioned, in a second time, “discussions and presentations by each of the IOC departments”.
The Zimbabwean knows where she's going, having joined the IOC in 2013, serving on the Athletes' Commission, the Executive Board, and several other commissions. The coming months should allow her to go further, master all the processes, and be informed of all the ongoing issues—for example, negotiations launched with potential partners—to be able to lead the institution in the best possible conditions. The coming weeks should also allow Coventry to prepare for her move to Lausanne, with her family, since she has two daughters, and to hand in her apron as Zimbabwe's Minister of Sports in due form. "I won't do both. They knew that and supported me in this campaign", she explained, speaking of her compatriots. I think they might be a little sad, but at the same time they are proud of me." The bird leaves the nest, facing a real challenge.
