IOC President Kirsty Coventry has called on governments and host countries to guarantee equal access to competition for all athletes, emphasizing the importance of political neutrality in sports. Speaking in Brussels, Coventry highlighted the need to protect the Olympic ideal of a ‘neutral ground’ where athletes can compete without discrimination. Her remarks follow the IOC’s recent decision to allow only vetted Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2026 Winter Games under a neutral flag, following the ongoing sanctions against the two nations since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022.
Coventry, the first African to lead the IOC, used her personal experience of winning Olympic gold medals for Zimbabwe amid political turmoil to illustrate the potential impact of political sanctions on athletes’ careers. She has previously stated that she does not support banning athletes due to their governments’ involvement in conflicts, and has advocated for discussions on Russia’s potential return to competition. Russian officials have criticized Western nations for politicizing international sports.