Who is new Olympics chief Kirsty Coventry and where does she stand on trans rights?

Former Olympic swimmer Kirsty Coventry has been awarded the top job at the international sporting body, becoming the first female president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in its history.

After being voted in, and beating six men to the post, she said: “The young girl who first started swimming in Zimbabwe all those years ago could never have dreamt of this moment. Glass ceilings have been shattered today.”

Coventry was born in the newly-independent Zimbabwe in 1983 and started swimming at an early age, competing in her first Olympics in 2000.

She later won Gold in the 200-meter backstroke twice, both in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games and five additional medals at both Games.

Kirsty Coventry controversies

Coventry was hailed by dictator Robert Mugabe as Zimbabwe’s “golden girl” and accepted a $100,000 (£55,000) prize on state television for her wins. She faces criticism for doing so at a time when people in Zimbabwe were suffering from hunger due to hyperinflation.

It was not the last time Coventry has courted controversy as she later ascended through the ranks of politics by becoming the sports minister in the cabinet of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is not known for his adherence to democratic ideals.

Her effectiveness in the position has also been questioned after Zimbabwe was banned from hosting games by the Confederation of African Football in 2020 because of unsafe stadiums and using taxpayer money to send a delegation of 74 people for nine competing athletes to the Paris Olympics, reports The Guardian.

This hasn’t stopped her from clinching the top job at the IOC. Following her victory, Coventry defended her past actions by saying: “In terms of my country, I chose to try and create change from the inside. It gets criticised, and that’s OK, because at the end of the day, I don’t think you can stand on the sidelines and scream for change. I believe you have to be seated at the table.”

Kirsty Coventry’s stance on trans athletes

She has already proven herself adept at managing difficult political situations, which will likely serve her well as we approach the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics with President Donald Trump in power.

Coventry was asked what she would do if Trump tried to ban athletes from certain countries, to which she said: “I have been dealing with let’s say difficult men in high positions since I was 20 years old. What I have learned is that communication will be key. That is something that will happen early on.”

“We will not waver from our values. Solidarity and ensuring every athlete that qualifies for the Olympic Games has the possibility to attend the Olympic Games and be safe during the Olympic Games.”

While that sounds positive, those “values” apparently don’t apply to trans people. Following the panic surrounding boxer Imane Khelif – who was not trans – competing at the Paris Olympics last year as well as policies from athletic bodies particularly in the U.S banning trans women from competing in women’s sport, Coventry was clear that women’s sport had to be protected.

“My stance is that we will protect the female category and athletes. I want to work together with the international federations. And we’re going to do that by setting up a task force that will look and analyse everything.”

This was a political answer, but Coventry has previously backed a blanket ban for transgender athletes across the Olympics despite approving the participation of Khelif and Lin Yu Ting in Paris as they had met all the IOC’s eligibility rules.

Back in January, she said that the protection of “female sports is paramount”.

“It is very clear that transgender women are more able in the female category, and can take away opportunities that should be equal for women,” she said.

However, there is no evidence to suggest that trans women and girls have an advantage in sport.