Sports

Zimbabwean Coventry elected as IOC’s first female president

Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister, Kirsty Coventry, has been elected as the new President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)+.
The 41-year-old former swimmer, who won two Olympic gold medals, will replace German Thomas Bach – who has held the role since 2013 – and become the first woman, the first African and the youngest person to hold the role.

World Athletics boss Lord Coe was among the favourites to win Thursday’s election in Greece, but Coventry secured an absolute majority of 49 of the 97 votes available in the first round.

Runner-up Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr won 28 votes while Coe secured eight.

France’s David Lappartient and Japan’s Morinari Watanabe won four votes each, while Prince Feisal al Hussein of Jordan and Sweden’s Johan Eliasch both took two.

Coventry, who already sits on the IOC executive board and was said to be Bach’s preferred candidate, is the 10th person to hold the highest office in sport and will be in post for at least the next eight years.

Coventry has won seven of Zimbabwe’s eight Olympic medals – including gold in the 200m backstroke at both the 2004 and 2008 Games.

“The young girl who first started swimming in Zimbabwe all those years ago could never have dreamed of this moment,” said Coventry, who beat six male rivals to win the vote.

“I am particularly proud to be the first female IOC president, and also the first from Africa.

“I hope that this vote will be an inspiration to many people. Glass ceilings have been shattered today, and I am fully aware of my responsibilities as a role model.”

Coventry described her election as an “extraordinary moment” during her acceptance speech, and promised to make IOC members proud of their choice.

During her election campaign Coventry pledged to modernise, promote sustainability, embrace technology and empower athletes.

She placed particular emphasis on protecting female sport, backing a blanket ban of transgender women from competing in female Olympic sport.

Coventry has faced criticism in Zimbabwe in her capacity as sports minister since 2018, but defended her association with the government of controversial president Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Governmental interference in football resulted in FIFA banning Zimbabwe from the international game in 2022, while last year the United States imposed sanctions on Mnangagwa and other senior officials for corruption and human rights abuses.

The presidential vote took place at a luxury hotel in a seaside resort about 60 miles south of Olympia, the birthplace of the ancient Games.

IOC members had to hand in their phones before a secret electronic ballot at about 14:30 GMT.

The campaign process restricted candidates to 15-minute presentations at a private event in January, with media barred and no scope for questions from members afterwards.

Endorsements by members were not allowed, nor was any criticism of rival candidates, meaning behind-the-scenes lobbying played an important role.

Sports

Champions league: Arsenal knock out Real Madrid to face PSG in semi-final

Arsenal have eliminated Real Madrid from the UEFA Champions League, after they won 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night.

The Gunners travelled to Spain with a healthy 3-0 lead from the first leg.

And they had the chance to extend that advantage after they were awarded a first-half penalty.

But Bukayo Saka saw his tame effort saved by Thibaut Courtois, as both sides went into the break without scoring.

However, Saka burst through to dink the ball over Courtois in the second half, as Arsenal virtually took the tie beyond Real Madrid.

And although Vinicius Junior pulled one back after a defensive mixup between David Raya and William Saliba, Gabriel Martinelli ran through to seal another big win.

Mikel Arteta’s men will now take on Paris Saint-Germain for a place in the final.

Arsenal beat PSG 2-0 earlier in the league phase

News

NFF denies owing late Christian Chukwu

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has debunked reports on social media that the football-ruling body was indebted to former Nigeria captain and coach, ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, who died on Saturday.

Reacting to one statement on social media that claimed NFF was owing the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning team captain the sum of $128,000, NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, said: “There is no record in the NFF of any outstanding indebtedness to ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu. During the first term of the Board headed by Mr. Amaju Pinnick, a committee was set up to diligently peruse the papers of coaches who were being owed, even from previous NFF administrations.

“That committee was given the clear mandate to verify all debts and ensure that the coaches being owed were paid immediately. I am aware that ‘Chairman’ was in the employ of the NFF between 2002 and 2005, before he was relieved of the post following the 1-1 draw with Angola in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Kano in August 2005. There is certainly no record of indebtedness to him in the NFF.”

Sanusi challenged anyone with genuine and verifiable documents of NFF indebtedness to any coach, who has worked with any of the National Teams over the past two decades, to come forward and tender those documents.

“As a credible organization that is very much alive to its responsibilities, if we are confronted with any genuine document of indebtedness to any coach, we will offset the debt immediately.”

The Nigerian football icon, nicknamed ‘Chairman’ for his imposing presence and the authority he exuded just in defence, died at 74, throwing family, friends, and the entire nation into mourning.

Sports

NFF mourns ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu’s death

The Nigeria Football Federation has expressed deep sorrow after it was confirmed that Christian Chukwuemeka Chukwu, who captained Nigeria’s 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad and later coached the team, had died in his native city of Enugu on Saturday.

General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said: “We have lost a good and great man. Chukwu was the definition of a strong, dedicated and disciplined leader on and off the field. He was not nicknamed ‘Chairman’ for nothing. He embodied strength, vision and consistency.

“We pray that the Almighty will grant his soul eternal rest, and also grant the family and friends he has left behind, and Nigeria football’s fraternity the fortitude to bear this big loss.”

Chukwu was in the Nigeria senior team that won bronze medals at the 1976 and 1978 AFCON finals in Ethiopia and Ghana respectively, before leading the squad to glory on home soil in 1980. He was named Player of the Tournament.

Chukwu coached his darling club, Enugu Rangers (he played for only one club in his career) and then coached the senior national team of Kenya, nicknamed the Harambee Stars. He was named Head Coach of the Super Eagles in 2002 and led the team to finish third at the 2004 AFCON finals in Tunisia.

His death comes exactly 20 days after the 45th anniversary of the 1980 AFCON triumph. Before him, other members of the squad that had passed on, were goalkeepers Best Ogedegbe and Moses Effiong, defenders Okechukwu Isima and Tunde Bamidele, midfielders Aloysius Atugbu and Mudashiru Lawal, and forward Martins Eyo.