New Olympics chief claims Russia’s exile is double requirements and opens door for his or her return for Los Angeles Games in 2028
Incoming IOC president Kirsty Coventry has revealed that she will open talks to have Russia reinstated to the Olympics in time for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Only Russians competing as neutrals were allowed to take part in Paris 2024 as the Kremlin was punished for launching the invasion of Ukraine. Belarus, Russia’s ally, suffered the same measures.
Zimbabwean Coventry will be the first female president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its first African leader after seeing off competition from Lord Coe in Thursday’s election.
And the 41-year-old sports minister of her country wasted no time in making waves when she revealed her stance on banning countries from the Olympics over wars.
In an interview with Sky News, Coventry pointed out inconsistencies in the current approach of singling out Russia while there are conflicts on her own continent.
Asked if she was against banning countries from the Olympics over conflicts, Coventry told Sky News: ‘I am, but I think you have to take each situation into account.
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‘What I would like to do is set up a taskforce where this taskforce tries to set out some policies and some guiding frameworks that we as the movement can use to make decisions when we are brought into conflicts.
‘We have conflicts in Africa and they’re horrific at the moment. So this is not going away, sadly.
‘So how are we going to protect and support athletes?
‘How are we going to ensure that all athletes have the opportunity to come to the Olympic Games?
‘And our responsibility is also to ensure once those athletes are all there, that they’re safe and that we protect and support them during the Olympic Games.
‘So there’s a fine balance. But ultimately I believe that it’s best for our movement to ensure that we have all athletes represented.’
US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have this week been discussing how sport can be used to defuse tension with the two leaders open to holding ice hockey matches between professional American and Russian players.
Russia’s return in time for the next summer Games which will be held in Los Angeles in 2028 would seemingly fit well with this policy but Coventry is hoping it may happen even sooner.
It is just 11 months until the Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo but Coventry believes we could see Russian athletes represent their nation again in Italy.
Asked about Russia returning in time for the Winter Games, she said: ‘We’re going to have that discussion with a collective group …with the taskforce.’
