Coventry Makes First Moves, India Bids, New Leaders for Japan & Italy
Olympic House in Lausanne was eerily quiet the day after hundreds poured through the lobby for the ceremony installing Kirsty Coventry as IOC president. It’s as if the ultra modern edifice was taking a deep breath as it prepared to welcome Coventry, only the second president since it opened in 2019.
The day after her ceremony Coventry and some 60 other IOC members who traveled to Lausanne were wrapped up in a series of brainstorming meetings at the Olympic Museum, a few km east along the lake. The fourth floor office for the president that faces Lake Geneva was empty, void of decoration. Thomas Bach had gathered his mementos days before. Staff who were used to being peppered by calls throughout the day appeared wistful about the abrupt end of his telephone inquiries.
But the hush is over. On day two of her mandate, Coventry was in action chairing her first meeting of the 15-member Executive Board. Nothing urgent or controversial revealed. She says reports from organizing committees and medals reallocation were among the topics. Nothing spectacular but IOC headquarters returned to its routines under a new president.
In her press conference following the EB meeting, Coventry was at ease fielding more than a dozen questions from reporters around the globe. More than 60 logged into the Zoom briefing now available online at the IOC media YouTube page.
But while the EB may have not made much news, Coventry opened up about the day and a half “Pause and Reflect” exercise held at the Olympic Museum. The closed-door brainstorm session included about 60 IOC members and zero of the IOC directors. The only staff on hand were there to help with clerical and logistical needs.
The biggest take away would be that the pause button has been pushed regarding the selection of a host for the 2036 Summer Games. As many as a dozen countries have expressed interest in 2036, the next plum the IOC has to award. After selecting Los Angeles and Brisbane some 10 years ahead, Coventry said that members want more of a say in when a decision is made and how it is made. With 11 years to go, there’s obviously no need to rush. She says lessons from the experience of Los Angeles will be considered in making a decision on what is the best time for the IOC to begin serious consideration of the 2036 host. That could be post 2028.
Coventry says the pause does not affect interested parties from contacting the IOC for questions and guidance about formulating plans.
In her first full week as IOC president Coventry made her first appearance before one of the 30+ international federations under the umbrella of the IOC, the International Skating Union. Coventry addressed the extraordinary general assembly of the ISU which was convened to adopt reforms meant to make the sport more adaptable to change. Coventry saluted the changes and promised to work with international federations in a collaborative way.
India 2036 Visits Lausanne
Despite the pause announced for the selection of a 2036 host city, a delegation from the Indian Olympic Association visited IOC headquarters last week. The visit had been scheduled well before the announcement.
The group numbering about a dozen and a half members was led by IOA President PT Usha, the first woman to hold the post, and Harsh Sanghavi, Minister of Sports for the government of Gujarat, which is interested in hosting Games in Ahmedabad. With 8.5 million residents, it is the most populous city in the west Indian state. Already home to a new 132,000-seat stadium — the biggest in the world — the government is also developing a multi-venue Sports City there.
The visitors heard from Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi and other staff but did not meet with the IOC president; neither was IOC member in India Nita Ambani a member of the delegation. Although talked about for years, the was the first ever in Lausanne to discuss the Indian interest in hosting the Olympics.
“The discussions provided a vital platform for the Indian delegation to articulate their vision for hosting a future Olympic Games in Ahmedabad,” says a press release from the group.
“Concurrently, they gained invaluable insights from the IOC regarding the requirements for the Olympic Games and its ambitions for the future of the Olympic Movement,” the release says. It also noted the pause in the process declared last week by the new IOC leader.
JOC Elects First Female President
Seiko Hashimoto is the new president of the Japanese Olympic Committee. The first woman to hold the post defeated two other candidates for the job that she may have been destined to fill. An Olympic medalist in speedskating and an Olympian in track cycling, Hashimoto spent decades since then as a rising parliamentarian with an interest in sport. She’s been a minister for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and became president of the organizing committee when predecessor Yoshiro Mori resigned over a scandal involving sexist comments months before the Games.
In her comments to media following her selection, Hashimoto said that one of the goals of the JOC should be seeking another winter or summer Olympic Games. While that may not be in the immediate future for Japan, Hashimoto is more likely to find herself a nominee to the IOC, perhaps as early as February 2026 when the next elections for IOC members are scheduled. At age 60, Hashimoto only has 10 years left to serve on the IOC before hitting the age 70 mark.
Luciano Buonfiglio New Leader in Italy
The long time leader of the Italian canoe and kayak federation will lead Italian national Olympic committee CONI during the next four years. Luciano Buonfiglio was elected on one ballot at the CONI annual meeting a week ago. He defeated rival Luca Pancalli, president of the national Paralympic committee, 47 to 34. Retired IOC member Franco Carraro had been nominated as a neutral candidate but he received zero votes.
“There’s nothing more beautiful than being the president of CONI. It is a great honor and it is indeed privilege to represent CONI and Italian sports in the next four years,” Buonfiglio declared after the vote. The 74-year-old said he will serve just one term. He replaces Giovanni Malago who steps down after three terms. Malago will continue to serve as chair of the organizing committee for the upcoming winter Olympics in Milan/ Cortina. Malago, 66, has four years remaining as an IOC member, which is not connected to his tenure as CONI president.
By Ed Hula