New IOC President Coventry can meet expectation

COSTA NAVARINO, Greece: Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry, the first African president of the International Olympic Committee can “even exceed the expectations” of the continent, said her predecessor Thomas Bach on Friday.

Coventry, 41, became the most powerful single figure in sport after sweeping aside her six rivals in the first round of voting on Thursday. She is also the first woman to lead the Olympic Movement.

Swimming great Coventry -- who won seven of Zimbabwe´s eight Olympic medals, two of them gold -- has always been hurt by suggestions that she does not fully represent Zimbabwe or Africa because she is white.

“I was born there,” she said in January. “My mother was born there. My grandmother was born there. I have no links to any other country other than Zimbabwe.” Hence expectations are high that during her eight-year term Coventry will not only be a standard bearer for Africa itself, but that an African city could be named host of an Olympics for the first time.

Bach said he could not speak about the hosting possibility but he had full confidence in his successor fulfilling expectations. “She is used to living with them (expectations),” said Bach in a press conference after the IOC Session ended.

“It helps having been an athlete, you know how to deal with high expectations and to know expectations are only a pressure if it´s your own expectations. “If you have a clear compass, and this is what she has, then I have no doubt she can cope with these expectations and can even exceed these expectations Africa might have in her.”

As Bach prepares to end his 12-year tenure -- he hands over officially on June 24 -- he will remain honorary president but he insisted he will not be a phantom presence hanging around Olympic House in Lausanne.

The 71-year-old German -- who is widely believed to have favoured Coventry´s candidacy from the start -- said he will hold meetings with his successor and if they differ over decisions it will be her´s which prevails. “It depends greatly on the president elect and new president,” he said.

“She of course will have priority to decide. I think it would not be fair at the very beginning the old guy be hanging around.” Asked what the future held for him, Bach said he was looking forward to watching sport “without the responsibility of worrying about what went on on and off the pitch.”