Online Reporter
INTERNATIONAL Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry said on Tuesday the top Olympic body have “a very strong partnership” with South Korea as they look to host the 2036 Summer Games.
Coventry made the remark at a press conference on the sidelines of the World Conference on Doping in Sport in the south-eastern city of Busan, hosted by the World Anti-Doping Agency. With North Jeolla Province looking to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, Coventry mentioned “two incredible Games already being hosted in Korea in the last six years,” referring to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics. South Korea also staged the Summer Olympics in Seoul in 1988.
“We have a very strong partnership with the national Olympic Committee (of South Korea),” Coventry said.
“I had a wonderful meeting with the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Chae Hwi-young) and the commitment from the government to continue to pursue sports and sporting events is a high priority and we will continue to work closely with them. I’m sure they will continue to be a really strong partner for us.” Coventry, a seven-time Olympic swimming medalist for Zimbabwe and the first female president in IOC history, also sent a message of encouragement to South Korean athletes that will compete at next year’s Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
“To all of the Korean athletes that we will see in Milan-Cortina, we cannot wait to cheer you on. And best of luck, keep your head down and work really hard for these last few months,” she said.
Addressing the issue of doping in Olympic Games, she said, “I think the most ideal (Olympics) is to have no doping.”
“That’s what we strive for, and that’s what we work towards. And we can only do that together if we’re working together as one to ensure that each of us plays our roles and our responsibilities,” she added.
“I think we’re all here because we believe in clean sport and ensuring that our athletes continue to have a platform for clean sport will be the top priority.” Its Coventry’s first visit to Korea since being elected as the first African and female IOC president in March and starting her term in June.
She met with on-site reporters at a 10-minute press conference shortly after emphasising clean sports for future generations and international solidarity and unity for them at the opening ceremony in BEXCO.
Asked what the most ideal Olympics would be when the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, the first Olympics since the start of her term, were imminent, Coventry said, “No doping, no doping competition would be the most ideal. We will work on that. Each one will play his part. “Korea has always been a good partner in the Olympic Movement and is a good partner for us, who recently successfully hosted the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and the 2024 Gangwon Youth Olympics. We will continue to have a good partnership together as one-team.” Asked about South Korea’s bid for the Jeonju World Cup, Coventry answered with affection. South Korea, which hosted the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics and the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, is trying to host the 2036 Jeonju Summer Olympics. — Yonhap
