Coventry opposed the non-admission of countries to the Olympics due to conflicts

Kirsty Coventry, President-elect of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said that she opposes the decision not to allow athletes to participate in the Olympic Games due to conflicts. This was announced on March 21 by Sky News channel.

"We have conflicts in Africa, and now they are terrible. Unfortunately, this problem will not go away. <...> I believe that it is best for our movement to ensure the representation of all athletes," Coventry said.

She noted that the organization's task is to protect athletes during the Olympics, so each situation needs to be considered individually.

"I would like to create a working group that will develop certain policies and guidelines so that the Olympic movement can make decisions when faced with conflicts," the future head of the IOC emphasized.

Responding to a question from the publication about the possible return of Russian athletes to competition for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Coventry promised to discuss this with the working group.

In the Olympic movement: how Kirsty Coventry became the new president of the IOC

The sports organization will be headed by a two-time champion of the Games in swimming from Zimbabwe.

The day before, Coventry became the first woman to serve as president of the IOC. She will take office on June 23 of this year. Coventry herself compared winning the election to receiving her first medal in 2004.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Coventry on his election. He pointed to the unique experience of the Zimbabwean woman and her interest in promoting the noble Olympic ideals. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko also sent his wishes to the athlete.