LAUSANNE,
Switzerland
–
Kirsty
Coventry
believes
her
ability
to
balance
multiple
roles—mother,
sports
minister,
and
athlete
advocate—sets
her
apart
as
a
top
candidate
for
the
presidency
of
the
International
Olympic
Committee
(IOC).
Zimbabwe’s
sports
minister,
a
position
she
has
held
for
the
past
seven
years,
discussed
how
she
has
navigated
tight
budgets
in
an
inflationary
environment,
managed
high
expectations,
and
balanced
her
role
as
Chairperson
of
the
IOC
Athletes’
Commission.
These
challenges,
she
noted,
have
equipped
her
to
handle
global
expectations
for
the
role
of
IOC
president.
Coventry
is
one
of
seven
candidates
competing
for
the
IOC
presidency
at
the
144th
IOC
Session
in
Greece
from
18
to
21
March
2025.
In
an
interview
with
AIPS
on
Monday,
Coventry,
a
seven-time
Olympic
medalist,
spoke
candidly
about
her
priorities,
including
gender
equality,
transgender
inclusion,
and
athlete
support.
She
also
addressed
global
sports
issues
such
as
corruption,
media
engagement,
and
conflict
resolution,
outlining
a
clear
vision
to
reshape
the
Olympic
Movement.
As
a
mother
of
two,
Coventry
has
balanced
the
responsibilities
of
leading
Zimbabwe’s
sports
ministry,
running
her
foundation,
and
serving
on
the
IOC
Athletes’
Commission,
all
while
raising
a
young
family.
“When
I
had
my
first
baby,
she’s
now
turning
six
in
May,
I
was
leading
the
Athletes’
Commission,
appointed
minister,
and
running
my
foundation,”
she
said.
“Before
she
was
one,
she
had
been
to
10
different
countries.
My
youngest,
Lily,
has
already
been
to
five.
It’s
a
normal
way
of
life
for
us,
and
I
think
it
shows
that
women
are
just
as
capable
as
men,
even
while
being
full-time
mothers,
wives,
and
daughters.”
Coventry’s
push
for
gender
equality
within
the
IOC
includes
a
focus
on
leadership
roles,
where
she
believes
women
are
ready
to
take
charge.
While
the
IOC
has
made
strides
with
42
percent
female
representation,
Coventry
insists
that
more
work
remains,
especially
within
International
Federations
and
National
Olympic
Committees.
“Women
are
ready.
They’re
ready
to
lead,”
she
said.
“I
look
at
it
as
an
opportunity
to
push
through
boundaries,
so
that
when
my
two
girls
are
growing
up,
they
don’t
have
the
same
boundaries,
they
don’t
have
the
same
pushback…
So
that
is
a
little
bit
of
why
I’m
running,
(but)
not
the
main
reason,
but
I
think
a
very
strong
reason
to
be
able
to
put
my
hand
up
and
say,
Let’s
do
it.
It’s
time.”
On
the
controversial
issue
of
transgender
inclusion
in
sports.
Coventry
called
for
a
unified
framework.
She
proposed
bringing
together
International
Federations
and
medical
experts
to
develop
a
common
approach
based
on
scientific
research.
“We
need
to
take
a
leadership
role,”
she
said.
“Each
sport
has
its
own
challenges,
but
we
must
protect
the
female
category
while
respecting
individual
rights.”
On
the
question
of
giving
athletes
prize
money
or
facilitating
funding,
Coventry
expressed
her
preference
for
direct
funding
over
prize
money
for
athletes.
“The
hardest
time
for
me
as
an
athlete
was
the
journey
to
becoming
an
Olympian,”
she
shared.
“I’d
rather
focus
on
supporting
athletes
before
and
after
the
Games,
helping
them
build
sustainable
careers.”
As
global
conflicts
continue
to
impact
athletes,
Coventry
stressed
the
IOC’s
responsibility
to
ensure
participation
from
all
regions,
emphasizing
the
importance
of
a
holistic
approach
to
athletes
from
conflict
zones.
She
also
highlighted
her
efforts
to
combat
corruption
and
match-fixing,
drawing
on
her
work
with
Interpol
and
strengthened
legislation
in
Zimbabwe.
“It’s
about
creating
a
cleaner
atmosphere
in
sports
from
the
grassroots
up,”
she
said.
Addressing
concerns
about
the
IOC’s
media
engagement,
Coventry
called
for
more
transparency
and
collaboration
to
build
trust.
“We
must
strengthen
our
engagement
with
the
media,”
she
said.
Seven
candidates
will
vie
for
the
presidency
of
the
International
Olympic
Committee
(IOC)
during
the
144th
IOC
Session,
set
to
take
place
from
18
to
21
March
2025
in
Greece.
The
candidates
presented
their
programmes
in
a
closed
session
to
the
full
IOC
membership
at
a
meeting
in
Lausanne,
Switzerland,
on
January
30,
2025.