Kirsty Coventry’s position is notable given the IOC’s current policy of permitting only scrutinized Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has called on governments to maintain sport as a politically neutral arena, stressing that all qualified athletes should be allowed to compete free from discrimination.
On Monday in Brussels, IOC President Kirsty Coventry implored host nations and athletic event organizers to “guarantee access for all,” describing sport as a “beacon of hope” and a “neutral ground.”
This declaration comes after the IOC’s recent choice to extend ongoing sanctions, which will only permit individually vetted Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate under a neutral flag at the forthcoming Winter Games in Italy. Competitors from these two nations were banned from the Games soon after the Ukraine conflict intensified in February 2022.
“This embodies the core of Olympism: every qualified athlete, team, and official ought to be able to participate free from discrimination or political interference,” she declared. The IOC released the full text of what it termed a “keynote” address on its official web portal.
Coventry, who assumed leadership in June as the IOC’s first African head, exemplified her argument with a personal anecdote, reminiscing about her two Olympic gold medals for Zimbabwe in backstroke swimming.
“Had you chosen to sanction me when my nation was enduring upheaval, I would not have reached the Olympic Games. I would not have claimed my Olympic medals. My trajectory would have diverged entirely from what it is now,” Coventry remarked.
Earlier this year, Coventry affirmed her opposition to banning athletes from the Olympics because of their countries’ participation in armed conflicts, and revealed intentions to commence talks regarding Russia’s re-entry into competition.
Russian sports are still subject to sanctions, although limitations have been eased in certain domains. While numerous summer sports federations now allow neutral Russian athletes to compete at world championships, the majority of significant winter sports organizations maintain a complete prohibition. As a result, only a small number of Russian athletes across a few winter sports have thus far secured qualification for the 2026 Olympic Games.
Russian officials have criticized Western nations for infusing international sports with politics.