Russia is seeking to reintegrate into the Olympic movement and believes the new head of global sports could pave the way for its comeback, according to Politico.
Kirsty Coventry, a former Olympic swimmer from Zimbabwe, was elected as the next president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday. Her appointment marks a historic milestone, as she becomes the first woman and the first African to hold the prestigious role.
Coventry triumphed over several contenders, including Britain’s Sebastian Coe, an Olympic gold medallist and former Conservative MP. Coe has been a vocal opponent of allowing Russian athletes to compete in international tournaments, making Coventry’s win a potential step towards Russia’s return to the Olympics.
Russian Olympic Committee President and Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev also welcomed Coventry’s appointment.
We expect that in the era of the new leader, the Olympic movement will become stronger … and Russia will return to the Olympic podium.
Following the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022, Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned from participating in the Games under their own flag. They were forced to compete under a neutral flag instead.
Many international federations also barred Russian athletes from participating. However, Russia called such restrictions unfair and discriminatory. The next Summer Olympics are scheduled for Los Angeles in 2028. Degtyarev voiced hope that Russian athletes would be able to return to the Games by then and show astonishing results.
