Woman at the helm: on the new IOC president Kirsty Coventry

The first African and the first woman head of the largest, most powerful sporting organisation on the planet, Kirsty Coventry, 41, broke new ground in more ways than one when she formally took charge of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday. Also the youngest president since Pierre de Coubertin, the founding father of the modern Olympic Games, and hand-picked by outgoing IOC president Thomas Bach, Kirsty was largely seen as a symbol of continuity with Bach, now IOC honorary president for life, remaining the power centre. But in the last three months since her election, the handover period, those working with her at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne shared the belief that she was her own person. While there is likely to be continuity in some areas, Kirsty’s experiences, as a white woman athlete in racially tense Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe and a Minister in Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cabinet, indicate that she is likely to be a lot more consensual and humane when compared to the strict Bach. It means that she is unlikely to rush into decisions on complex issues be it protecting female athletes, transgenders in women’s sports, the scourge of doping, the relevance of the Olympic movement, attracting new sponsors and maintaining a balance between traditional competitive sports and experimenting to bring in new audiences, something that has not always worked, as evident with breakdancing in Paris.

Off the field, it will be an eventful eight years for one of Africa’s most decorated Olympians. There will be big decisions to make including the possible return of Russia to the Olympic fold. In the run-up to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, she will have to deal with U.S. President Donald Trump a lot more. The political uncertainties and global conflicts will force her to do a lot more than administering only world sports. The Russia-Ukraine war and growing hostilities in West Asia could have a bearing on the hosting rights for the 2036 Olympics, something that also brings Indian interests into the equation. On Monday, IOC member Nita Ambani was among the closest allies of Kirsty during and after the formal ceremony. A two-day closed-door session with IOC members to exchange ideas and opinions will be crucial to gauge initial impressions. The political situation, in the immediate context, may also have a bearing on the possible bids by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, two countries with deeper pockets than any and with growing interest to host the Games. With little experience in navigating the complex administrative labyrinth of world sports, Kirsty would be hoping to make a splash with her dive into the deep end.