Coventry’s win renews Russia's expectations

"I am convinced that her unique experience and her commitment to advancing the noble ideals of Olympism will contribute to our success," President Vladimir Putin expressed as he congratulated the new IOC leader's sweeping electoral victory.

The election drama is already in the books and Kirsty Coventry emerged victorious, surpassing six male candidates, among whom two stood out: Spain’s Juan Antonio Samaranch—whose father, bearing the same name, presided over the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1980 to 2001—and Britain’s Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics and a double Olympic champion in 1980 and 1984. For the first time in its 131-year history, Olympism will be led by someone who is neither from Europe nor the United States, but not only that...

Moreover, at 41 years old, Coventry becomes the youngest president in the organisation’s history and the first woman to hold the position. The majority, first-round vote hints at the considerable clout Thomas Bach apparenty still wields within the upper echelons of the IOC, where quiet diplomacy has yielded greater results than other, more media-driven campaignS.

It was an open secret that the Zimbabwean was Bach's preferred candidate. The German lawyer and former fencer, the current head of the IOC, will step down from his role with a sense of satisfaction, though he is not the only one pleased with the outcome: Another pivotal actor rushed to enthusiastically back her rise to prominence. 

That player is Russia, the world’s largest country, which was excluded from the Olympics following its invasion of Ukraine and consequent war in 2022. In the wake of longstanding tensions with Moscow, the country's Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev, welcomed the election of the African candidate while articulating a vision for a "stronger, freer Olympic Movement" going forward. "We are pleased to see the upcoming leadership of a new president, and to see Russia reclaim its place on the Olympic podium," wrote Degtyarev, also head of the Russian Olympic Committee, in a Telegram post. 

On Tuesday, the newly elected IOC head had outlined her stance on Russia in an interview with The New York Times newspaper: "What we saw in Paris was, I believe, very fair. We said that athletes from Belarus and Russia who had openly supported the war would not be invited," she was quoted. In remarks to Inside The Games last week, the 10th person to lead the most powerful body in global sports asserted that her primary focus is to ensure inclusivity, particularly by reintegrating Russia into the Olympic arena. "Our duty as the IOC is to ensure that all athletes can participate in the Games. It’s not just about the major wars and conflicts happening in Europe and the Middle East: there are also wars and conflicts in Africa. How are we going to protect and support these athletes?"

"If elected IOC president, I will establish a working group tasked with developing a set of guidelines to help us navigate these periods of conflict, prioritising the interests of athletes," Coventry emphasised. Among the pressing issues awaiting the former swimmer is the fate of Russian athletes, less than a year before the 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina. The massive country is not giving up and hopes to be represented at the next Olympics in picturesque northern Italy.

In line with Putin's congratulatory message, the Russian minister congratulated the Harare-native in his release, highlighting her "brilliant sporting career, Olympic victories, records, and contributions to the development of sport" as the nation set its eyes on possible reinstatement. "We hope our athletes will be able to continue participating in international competitions," also stated Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Thursday morning. 

Relations between the Eurasian giant and global sports bodies have been strained for nearly a decade, marred by revelations of a state-sponsored doping system during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and escalating rhetoric amid geopolitical agitation. These tensions seemingly reached their peak in February 2022.

At the 2024 Paris edition, Russia was represented only by a small delegation of 15 athletes competing under a neutral flag, following strict selection criteria. In this context, Moscow had criticised the IOC for "racism and neo-Nazism," while the Olympic body accused Russia of "politicising sport." Now, with Coventry leading the IOC, it remains to be seen whether the path she charts will align with the hopes of the Kremlin.