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France 24
3 hours ago
- France 24
IOC is in 'best of hands', says Bach as he hands over to Coventry
The Zimbabwean is the first woman and African to head the body and at 41 the youngest since Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who is credited with founding the modern-day Olympics. Coventry accepted the Olympic key from Bach, who like her is an Olympic champion -- he won a team fencing gold in 1976 and she earned two swimming golds in 2004 and 2008. Stepping down after a turbulent 12-year tenure, Bach expressed his confidence that the Olympic movement was "in the best of hands" and Coventry would bring "conviction, integrity and a dynamic perspective" to the role. Coventry, who swept to a crushing first-round victory in the election in Greece in March, leans heavily on her family. Aside from her parents, who were present at the ceremony in Lausanne, there is her husband Tyrone Seward, who was effectively her campaign manager, and two daughters, six-year-old Ella, who Bach addresses as "princess", and Lily, just seven months old. "Ella saw this spider web in the garden and I pointed out how it is made, and how strong and resilient it is to bad weather and little critters," said Coventry, who takes over officially at midnight Swiss time Monday (2200 GMT). "But if one little bit breaks it becomes weaker. That spider web is our movement, it is complex, beautiful and strong but it only works if we remain together and united." 'Pure passion' Coventry said she could not believe how her life had evolved since she first dreamt of Olympic glory in 1992. "How lucky are we creating a platform for generations to come to reach their dreams," she said to a packed audience in a marquee in the Olympic House garden, which comprised IOC members, including those she defeated, and dignitaries. "It is amazing and incredible, indeed I cannot believe that from my dream in 1992 of going to an Olympic Games and winning a medal I would be standing here with you to make dreams for more young children round the world." Coventry, who served in the Zimbabwean government as sports and arts Minister from 2019 to this year, said the Olympic movement was much more than a "multi-sport event platform." "We (IOC members) are guardians of this movement, which is also about inspiring and changing lives and bringing hope," she said. "These things are not to be taken lightly and I will be working with each and every one of you to continue to change lives and be a beacon of hope in a divided world. "I am really honoured to walk this journey with you." Bach, who during his tenure had to grapple with Russian doping and their invasions of the Crimea and Ukraine as well as the Covid pandemic, said he was standing down filled with "gratitude, joy and confidence" in his successor. "With her election it sends out a powerful message, that the IOC continues to evolve," said the 71-year-old German, who was named honorary lifetime president in Greece in March. "It has its first female and African to hold this position, and the youngest president since Pierre de Coubertin. She represents the truly global and youthful spirit of our community." Bach, who choked back tears at one point during his valedictory speech, was praised to the rafters by Coventry, who was widely seen as his preferred candidate of the seven vying for his post. After a warm embrace she credited him with teaching her to "listen to people and to respect them," and praised him for leading the movement with "pure passion and purpose." "You have kept us united through the most turbulent times.
France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
Olympic chief Kirsty Coventry's steeliness honed by hard knocks
Looming large on the horizon of the 41-year-old Zimbabwean -- the first woman and African to occupy the post of the most powerful single figure in sport -- is US President Donald Trump. With Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Olympics, Trump will feature often on Coventry's agenda. Trump has not been shy in giving public dressing downs to world leaders -- notably Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa. Judging by Coventry's initial response, after a crushing first-round victory in the presidential election in March, she may have Trump's measure. "I have been dealing with, let's say, difficult men in high positions since I was 20 years old," she said, adding "communication will be key." Unlike Trump, though, Coventry embraces the word failure, for it helped forge her stellar career. "Everything's scary. Embrace that. You have to fail," Coventry told the swimming team at her American alma mater Auburn University last year. "I've learned the best lessons by failing, and I have failed at many things. Life has a really good way of humbling you." At the same time that steely resolve comes to the surface when winning is at stake. "I was banned from playing card games with the family, because they didn't like to deal with me when I lost," she said. A glance at Coventry's CV suggests failure in her life has been relative. Coventry, who had the Olympic rings tattooed on a leg after her first Games in 2000, is a two-time Olympic gold medallist and she has contributed seven of Zimbabwe's overall Games medals tally of eight. She has accrued domestic political experience, as she was Zimbabwe's Minister for Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation from 2019 to this year. That attracted some flak as she was serving in a government whose election in 2023 was declared to be "neither free nor fair" by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ). "I don't think you can stand on the sidelines and scream and shout for change," she said in her defence. "I believe you have to be seated at the table to try and create it." Her record as a minister has been heavily criticised by the Zimbabwean arts community in particular. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose predecessor Robert Mugabe labelled Coventry "a golden girl" and awarded her $100,000 after she came back with a gold medal from Beijing in 2008, hit back. "Whoever was not impressed by her can appoint someone else when they become president," said the 82-year-old. 'Very hard times' In 2004, Coventry gave an insight into why she would later accept such a poisoned chalice and how whites in Zimbabwe have to perform a delicate balancing act. "Zimbabwe is my home," she said after returning to a heroine's parade after winning her first gold medal at the Athens Olympics. "It's where I was born. It's my culture. I will always represent Zimbabwe. Colour doesn't matter to me. "I think every country goes through bad years and good years." Coventry had a largely urban upbringing. Her parents Rob and Linn owned a chemicals firm in a suburb of Harare, but the farming evictions -- where predominantly white farm owners were forced off their lands in their early 2000s -- affected her too. "I have had very close family members and friends on farms who have gone through very hard times," said Coventry. Away from the controversies she has shown decisive leadership in dealing with Zimbabwean football chiefs and FIFA. She backed the government body Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) when it suspended the Zimbabwean Football Association (ZIFA) over allegations of fraud and sexual harassment of referees. FIFA has a zero tolerance policy of political interference in its associations and barred Zimbabwe from international football in February 2022. However, by September the same year they were back in the fold. A ZIFA official was later banned for five years for sexually harassing three female referees. Coventry said in 2023 that the process had been "hard, but it was worth it, to have a way forward that's going to benefit us as a country". Those tempted to mess with Coventry in the years to come have been duly warned.
France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
African civil society unconvinced by Meloni, Von Der Leyen investment plan
In Rwanda, opposition leader Victoire Ingabire has been arrested once again. A rare and outspoken critic of President Paul Kagame, she was taken into custody yesterday – just after appearing in a case involving nine people accused of distributing a book by Serbian author Popovic, 'How to Topple a Dictator', which outlines peaceful resistance to authoritarian rule. Ingabire's lawyers say this is a politically motivated move to silence dissent. Cameroon has been without cinema halls for years now. To bridge this gap and make African cinema available to all, the Cinémathèque Afrique deployed a caravan to screen a selection of iconic works from its about 1,500 catalogue. The project, which relies on the mobile digital cinema, aims to showcase African films in regions where movie theatres do not exist, mainly in villages and disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
