IOC’s first African president pledges Ubuntu-led leadership

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president-elect Kirsty Coventry has pledged to represent Africa to the best of her ability by keeping athletes at the heart of her decisions and embracing the Ubuntu philosophy.Africa’s most decorated athlete made the remarks at the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa’s (Anoca) two-day fifth Continental Athletes’ Forum hosted by the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC), which concluded yesterday in Windhoek.The forum aimed to enhance the skills and support for athletes across the continent.Zimbabwe’s former sports minister and IOC Athletes Commission chairperson was elected as IOC president last month and is set to take office on Olympic Day, 23 June, for an eight-year term, succeeding German Thomas Bach.Speaking at her first engagement since her election, an event that reportedly saw every African country represented by one male and one female athlete, Coventry said it was significant that the athletes’ forum was her first stop.“Many athletes [here] have walked this journey with me and I know a lot of them. So it is really important for me [that my first responsibility] is to come here and be with all of them to say thank you to them. It's to show my commitment to athletes from around the world and our continent that I will continue to have them at the heart of our [IOC] movement,” she assured.‘I am because we are’Embracing her heritage as a proud African and Zimbabwean, Coventry welcomed the IOC’s recognition of the need to reflect a truly global movement through her historic election as its first African and first woman president.“It makes me extremely proud to ensure that I will represent all of you to the best of my ability in our international and global community. My campaign was run off of the Ubuntu philosophy of ‘I am because we are’ and it's something that I truly believe is true.“I was never successful in the pool by myself. I was successful because I had an incredible team around me, and I'm going to rely on those incredible teams to ensure that we are successful as a movement going forward - and all of those teams include all of you,” she noted.Help better support athletesCoventry said she had already been in conversations over the last six months with IOC members, discussing how to better support athletes.“So I would like some feedback from you on how you think we can better support athletes on their journey to becoming Olympians. It will be a big focus for me in the next eight years of my presidency,” she said.Also speaking at the occasion, NNOC president Dr Ndeulipula Hamutumwa said the forum provides a vital platform for African countries to exchange ideas, shape policies and strengthen the voice of athletes across the continent.“It is about building a progressive pan-African agenda through sport and unifying the world through sport. As a child of international solidarity, Namibia is ready, capable and proud to play its part in the global sporting community,” he assured.- mariud@nshcom.na

IOC’s first African president pledges Ubuntu-led leadership

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IOC’s first African president pledges Ubuntu-led leadership

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