Who is Kirsty Coventry? The IOC president emotional over banned Ukrainian athlete

International Olympic Committee Kirsty Coventry gave an emotional reaction to the ban of Ukrainian athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych over his 'helmet of remembrance'.
Coventry is a highly decorated former Olympic swimmer, having won seven medals, including back-to-back 200m backstroke golds, making her Africa's most successful Olympian.
She served as Zimbabwe’s minister of youth, sports, arts and recreation, a role that brought scrutiny due to the government's history of suppressing democratic freedoms and criticism.
Her affiliation with the Zimbabwean government, which has faced sanctions from the US and EU, began under Robert Mugabe, who praised her as 'Golden Girl' and rewarded her with a diplomatic passport.
Coventry was appointed minister in Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration after Mugabe's removal, a move that surprised many due to her youth before being made president of the International Olympic Committee in 2025.

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