Inside Kirsty Coventy’s transformation of the IOC – and the Trump problem which looms over the LA Olympics
ONE YEAR ON: A year after she was sensationally elected as the first woman and first African to hold the most powerful office in sport, the IOC president retains plenty of internal support, writes Lawrence Ostlere. But far bigger challenges lie ahead
Soon after Kirsty Coventry became president of the International Olympic Committee last summer, she held a private consultation with IOC members to gauge their feelings on a range of important issues. At the end of the session, Czech representative Jiri Kejval stood up to speak. “I’ve been a member of the IOC for five years,” he said, “and this is the first time somebody has asked my opinion.
” It has been a year since Coventry was elected president , crushing competition that included British candidate Lord Coe en route to becoming the first woman and first African to lead the Olympic movement. It has been nine months since she officially replaced Thomas Bach , and IOC members and officials speak of significant cultural change from Bach’s 12-year reign. It is not only that she has opened up dialogue with members like Kejval.
After she was elected president, Coventry moved her young family to live near the IOC’s headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. There she often finishes her working day at 5pm to go home and be with her family. At the recent Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, she could be seen having breakfast with her baby son as he liberally splattered her with food.
Her “normal” approach to the presidency has made the atmosphere inside the IOC’s walls less pressurised, more relaxed and more in tune with the modern world. Kirsty Coventry took charge of the IOC last June (Getty) Internally she is seen as tough but wears responsibility lightly, considering she holds perhaps the most powerful office in sport. But outside the IOC, major challenges have begun to surface.
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