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BERLIN. − International Olympic Committee presidential candidate Kirsty Coventry does not have outgoing president Thomas Bach working on her election bid despite a good relationship for more than a decade, she said on Monday.
Coventry, a two-time Olympic champion, is also Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister and is one of seven candidates to run for the most powerful post in world sport, with IOC members set to vote on the new president at their session in Greece on March 20.
Bach is stepping down after 12 years in the role and Coventry has long been seen as his preferred successor.
“I have had a good relationship with president Bach since joining the Athletes’ Commission in 2013. It was when he was running his campaign,” Coventry told a media round table on Monday.
“He has a number of very good relationships with a number of the candidates. I don’t feel that he is out there campaigning for me.
“I know that he respects all of the candidates.”
Coventry is the only woman and the only African candidate, with all previous IOC presidents having been men from Europe or North America.
World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe, a fellow Olympic champion, is also running as is Juan Antonio Samaranch, son of the late former IOC president, along with international cycling chief David Lappartient.
Completing the candidates’ line-up are Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan, International Gymnastics Federation head Morinari Watanabe and Olympic newcomer and multimillionaire Johan Eliasch, who heads the International Ski Federation.
Coventry said one of the first issues she would tackle, if elected, would be to meet with sponsors on future involvement in the Games while also embracing AI, apps and new technology to expand the reach of the Olympics.
Despite robust finances, the IOC lost three top sponsors in 2024. − Reuters
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter