Chronicle Editor
Lovemore Dube, [email protected]
VETERAN athletics promoter and writer Geshom Nyathi believes the pendulum for the International Olympic Committee presidency could swing Minister of Sport, Kirsty Coventry’s way.
She is among seven candidates vying for the position to replace Thomas Bach, who announced that he will step down at the organisation’s congress from March 18-21 next year.
Nyathi said with sport breaking barriers and giving women a more prominent role to play, this could be Coventry’s trump card. He said her victory would be good for Zimbabwe and the whole continent.
The Olympic movement is one of the biggest organisations in the world with membership from almost every country in the universe a member.
“It would be good for Zimbabwe and the continent if she took up the position. Women have been breaking barriers in world sport in the last couple of years. She would have ascended to one of the top positions in the world,” said Nyathi.
Nyathi said women work a lot under very difficult conditions and for her to rise to such considerations speaks volumes of her personality and service to sport. Coventry is a former Olympic gold medallist.
Veteran administrator and Highlanders chairman, Kenneth Mhlophe, said Coventry is now ripe for consideration for the post.
“She is the only female candidate and I think she is now ripe for the post. She will be the first and only African to head the IOC. I give her my thumbs up,” said Mhlophe.
The Sports and Recreation Commission boss, Eltah Nengomasha, believes the Minister has what it takes to win the election.
“I am confident that the Honourable Minister will aptly serve IOC as its president as she has proven her mantle in all aspects of sport, be it participation or administration,” said Nengomasha.
Long and middle-distance coach, Bhekuzulu Khumalo, who has now earned the title Doctor in his sports science studies and practice, believes she is ripe for the position.
“I think she is ready and is the right candidate. I think she has a chance, especially if she can get French speaking Africa on her side,” said Khumalo, who left the National University of Science and Technology for Malawi.
Her competitors include former England middle-distance runner Sebastian Coe. He had a distinguished career as a middle-distance runner for Great Britain and won four medals at the Olympics and once served as a Member of Parliament.
Coe and Coventry’s threat could be the Francophone and Arab Alliance with France’s David Lappartient in the race. He has been a member of IOC for two years and has a somewhat impressive resume, having run the International Cycling Union for seven years.
He is credited with calming down tensions in the French Olympic Committee after years of infighting which he felt were against the values of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who is revered as the founder of the modern Olympics.
The name Juan Samaranch is well documented in the annals of sporting history. He was IOC president from 1980 to 2001 and made the organisation a successful commercial venture.
In March 2025, his son Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr will bid to take over. He may lose it on that score that dynasties in sport are not encouraged.
He is a former banker and is in his second stint as IOC Vice President which many may want to vote for continuity.
Prince Faisal al-Hussein of Jordan, the younger brother of King Abdullah II, is bidding to be the first Asian to hold the post of IOC president. He established Generations for Peace a non-profit peace building organisation using sport in 2007.
Sweden-born multi-billionaire Johan Eliasch, who also holds British documents, is a former president of the International Ski Federation is also in the mix.
It is hoped that presentations by the seven candidates will be key.
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