6 h. ago Conor McGregor reveals talks to tear up his UFC contract and RETIRE at 36 as he plots run at Ireland's presidential election after Donald Trump meeting

Conor McGregor has dropped a major hint that retirement could be on the cards in the near future as he pursues a career in politics.

Politics

3 d. ago Seb Coe confirms controversial gender swab tests in athletics: 'Absolutely the right thing to do'

Seb Coe has confirmed that World Athletics will carry out one-off swab tests to determine eligibility for female category as president says he in confident plans can stand up to any legal challenges

Politics

3 d. ago World Athletics approves new test to determine athletes’ gender

Lord Coe has announced the move from the World Athletics Council in what he describes at the latest step to protect female category

Politics

4 d. ago Newly elected IOC President Kirsty Coventry celebrated on return home to Zimbabwe

Newly elected International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry has arrived in her home country of Zimbabwe to a hero’s welcome as her victory is celebrated as a national milestone

Politics

5 d. ago Lord Coe never had a chance in Olympics race with Robert Mugabe's 'golden girl'

JEREMY CROSS COLUMN: Lord Seb Coe was in the running to become the next IOC President though was beaten by two-time gold medallist and Zimbabwe sports minister Kirsty Coventry

Sport

6 d. ago View from Africa: how Kirsty Coventry will handle sport’s biggest job at the IOC

Incoming president owes her position to political support but is promising a collective and sustainable approachThe International Olympic Committee’s president-elect, Kirsty Coventry, did not initially have designs on a role in sports administration until she was thrust into it, essentially by politics.On 7 September 2018, Coventry found out, along with the rest of Zimbabwe, that she had been appointed as the country’s minister for sports, art and recreation. She was the only white person on the 23-member cabinet, a unifier, albeit briefly, of a nation divided by racial schisms and labelled the “golden girl” by the then-deposed president Robert Mugabe. As an athlete who was also seen as a patriot, in a country where non-compliance has had serious ramifications, she could not refuse the position. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago New Olympics chief claims Russia's exile is double standards and opens door for their return for Los Angeles Games in 2028

Incoming IOC president Kirsty Coventry has revealed that she will open talks to have Russia reinstated to the Olympics in time for the 2028 Games in LA. Russia was banned from Paris 2024. 

Sport

6 d. ago Sent to Coventry: how Bach’s power helped Zimbabwean’s shock IOC win

Poll result defied candidates’ calculations and illustrated outgoing president’s influence but change may yet comeIt might sound beyond ridiculous, given the scale of Kirsty Coventry’s seismic victory in the International Olympic Committee presidential election. But as the various royals, sporting dignitaries, politicians and billionaires left the Costa Navarino resort on Friday, some really believed the result could have turned out very differently.Yes, the 41-year-old Zimbabwean ex-swimmer had won in the first round with 49 votes to become the first woman to lead the IOC. And yes, Juan Antonio Samaranch and Sebastian Coe, the other members of the “Big Three”, had come away with just 28 and eight votes respectively. But in the postmortem there were several stories about how the IOC machine had powered Thomas Bach’s chosen successor over the line. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago 2 men arrested in Zimbabwe for armed robbery and stealing new IOC President Coventry's memorabilia

Two brothers have been arrested and appeared in a Zimbabwe court accused of an armed robbery at the home of new International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry’s parents

Events

7 d. ago So it’s victory for Kirsty Coventry in the IOC elections. Who says cards with a rigged deck isn’t an Olympic sport? | Marina Hyde

The Zimbabwean has global sport’s top job but Britain’s Sebastian Coe was snubbed, and with good reason: he might have changed thingsCongratulations to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on the surprise election of its new president, Kirsty Coventry, confirming its status as one of the few electorates on Earth never to have had a change election. Another one is Fifa, with those two organisations’ eternal contest to be the worst-run governing body remaining easily the hardest-fought rivalry in world sport.Yes, the IOC has been in its 144th special session to elect a new leader. Don’t worry – it hasn’t been all hard beds, spartan canteens and bad lighting, as is inflicted on the poor old cardinals in Conclave. The three-day event inevitably took place at a five-star luxury Greek resort.Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnistDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication...

Politics

7 d. ago Thomas Bach ‘relieved’ as IOC members vote in Kirsty Coventry as his successor

Coventry has been seen by many observers as the continuity candidate.

Politics

7 d. ago Who is Kirsty Coventry? From Zimbabwean swimmer to the most powerful person in sport

The 41-year-old has risen from Africa’s most decorated Olympian to become the new president of the IOC

Politics

7 d. ago Why Seb Coe lost the room in crushing IOC presidential election defeat

Lord Coe finished a distant third in the race for the prestigious role leading the Olympic movement after making enemies inside the IOC, writes Lawrence Ostlere – but that was not the only reason

Politics

7 d. ago So who is Kirsty Coventry, who now has global sport’s most powerful job? | Sean Ingle

IOC’s first female president faces significant challenges including handling Donald Trump’s power and protecting women’s sportsBarely an hour after Kirsty Coventry had become the most powerful figure in global sport at the relatively tender age of 41, she faced a series of verbal grenades about how she might handle Donald Trump in her new role.What would the new president of the International Olympic Committee respond, the first interrogator asked, if the American president tried to cause trouble during the Los Angeles Olympics by banning athletes from certain countries? Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Seb Coe gracious after crushing defeat to Kirsty Coventry in IOC presidential election

Lord Coe earned just eight of 97 votes

Politics

7 d. ago New Olympics chief Kirsty Coventry backs blanket ban for trans athletes from all female events

Former Zimbabwean Olympic swimmer Kirsty Coventry, 41, was today elected as the new Olympics chief, pipping Lord Sebastian Coe and Juan Antonio Samaranch to the position.

Politics

7 d. ago Sebastian Coe secures only eight votes as Kirsty Coventry elected IOC president

Coventry secured the absolute majority necessary for victory in the very first round.

Politics

8 d. ago Kirsty Coventry elected first female president of IOC as Coe denied in vote

Zimbabwean former swimmer won majority in first roundSebastian Coe and Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr lose outThe former Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry has become the first woman to lead the International Olympic Committee in its 131-year history, after winning a shock first round win over a seven-strong field that included Britain’s Sebastian Coe.The 41-year-old Coventry won 49 of the 97 votes of the IOC membership, giving her an immediate majority and also making her the first African to become IOC president and the most powerful woman in global sport. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Kirsty Coventry elected first female president of IOC as Coe routed in vote

Zimbabwean former swimmer won majority in first roundSebastian Coe is third; Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr secondThe former Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry has become the first woman to lead the International Olympic Committee in its 131-year history, after a shock first-round win over a seven-strong field that included Britain’s Sebastian Coe.The 41-year-old Coventry won 49 of the 97 votes of the IOC membership, giving her an immediate majority and also making her the first African to become IOC president and the most powerful woman in global sport. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Kirsty Coventry becomes first female IOC president as Seb Coe misses out on Olympic throne

The former swimmer was confirmed as Thomas Bach’s successor on Thursday

Politics