Kirsty Coventry crushed glass ceilings to become the first woman and African to be appointed head of the International Olympic Committee in its 130-year history.
Zimbabwean swimming champion took the lead in place of the controversial Thomas Bach and did the top job in world sports. “It signal that we are truly global and that we have evolved into an organization that is truly open to diversity, and we are going to continue,” she said in her acceptance speech in Athens on Thursday, March 20th.
Coventry closed out that position, with candidate Juan Antonio Samaranche Jr. in second place before Sebastian Coe placed third. She said she will work with Thomas Bach for the next few months to ensure a smooth handover of responsibility and exchange some key ideas.
Kirsty Coventry candidly talk about women’s sports protection
Considered a controversial choice, Coventry speaks openly in her views on transgender people in single sex sports, arguing that sports should be categorized by the biological sex of athletes and does not identify gender.
Reported by the Telegraph, she said, “We want to ensure fairness in women’s sports and maintain the integrity of the female category.” Coventry highlighted the dangers of allowing male-born athletes to compete in the female category, particularly physical contact sports.
The seventh Olympic medalist was invited to the IOC Athlete Committee in 2012, and we hope that elections for president will mark a new era of the committee and bring a new perspective on looming issues such as athlete rights.
