International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry is taking a firm stance on each athlete’s right to play.
“Every eligible athlete, team, and official must be able to take part without discrimination or political interference,” Coventry said in a keynote speech at the European Evening of Sport in Brussels. “[The governments of the world] must guarantee access for all and respect the universality and autonomy of sport.”
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry has been underlining that athletes must be able to participate in events “without discrimination or political interference.” (Photo by Harold Cunningham/Getty Images)
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This pointed remark was aimed at least partly at Indonesia, which last month refused to issue visas for Israeli athletes to enter the country to compete at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta. It may also have been a nod to the United States and President Donald Trump, who has threatened to exclude some athletes from the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Trump also said that female athletes will have to undergo “some form” of sex testing to determine whether they can compete in women’s events.
The choice of one of the seats of the European Union as the place to make her most definitive statement about athlete rights may not be a coincidence. As IOC President, Coventry has also taken up the role of sport’s chief diplomat, using her platform to push for peace in the name of athletes around the world. In Brussels, Coventry was received by Belgium’s king Philippe and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and while she does not speak for them, their association indicates that her remarks have the support of European governments.
The IOC made sure to note in its press release that Coventry’s speech in Brussels was “interrupted by spontaneous applause from the audience, which consisted of representatives of the Olympic Movement and high-level decision-makers of the European Union (EU).”
Indonesia’s decision not to allow Israeli athletes at the World Championships has likely cost the nation its chance to host the 2036 Olympics. Indonesia was initially among the five nations shortlisted to host the Games, but the IOC Executive Board cut off “any form of dialogue” about its bid following the Jakarta incident. The nation has a long history of refusing entry to Israeli athletes going back to the 1960s.
In her speech, Coventry set herself forward as an example of an athlete whose life was changed by being able to compete at the Olympics, which she did five times between 2000 and 2016.
“If you had decided to sanction me when my country was going through turmoil, I would not have made it to the Olympic Games. I would not have won my Olympic medals. My path would have been completely different than it is today. Sport changed my life. And I am so grateful for that, and I will fight every day to ensure athletes from every corner of our world have the same possibilities,” she said.
“In sport everyone is equal. Democracy in sport means exactly that: every voice and every vote carry the same weight.”
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/blythelawrence/2025/11/30/after-turbulent-autumn-the-international-olympic-committee-has-a-reminder-for-the-world/
