Kirsty Coventry - the groundbreaking but controversial new IOC president

Coventry's career has been intertwined with politics for years.

In 2008, she accepted a $100,000 reward from Zimbabwe's authoritarian leader president Robert Mugabe - given to her in a suitcase - for winning four medals at the Beijing Games.

The gift came at a time of severe food shortages and inflation, and the swimmer announced she was giving some of the money to charity. Mugabe's later years in power were marked by violent repression of his political opponents and Zimbabwe's economic ruin.

Although at the time Coventry did speak out about the need for change in Zimbabwe, as an athlete she tried to avoid being drawn into politics. In 2018 however she became sports minister for Mugabe's successor - controversial president Emmerson Mnangagwa - known as 'The Crocodile' for his ruthlessness and political cunning.

Mnangagwa - who has congratulated Coventry, external - is associated with some of the worst atrocities committed under the ruling party since independence in 1980.

Last year the United States imposed sanctions on Mnangagwa and other senior officials for corruption and human rights abuses.

Coventry has also faced criticism for her record as sports minister. In 2020 Zimbabwe's stadiums were banned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) from hosting all international games for substandard facilities. And in 2022, during Coventry's tenure, football's world governing body Fifa banned Zimbabwe from international fixtures over governmental interference in the running of the game. She has also faced criticism for the state of the country's sports infrastructure.

Coventry's close ties with Mnangagwa will inevitably lead to questions over her suitability to lead the IOC, but last month she defended her role when interviewed by BBC Sport.

"I don't believe you can really create change if you don't have a seat at the table" she said.

"It's not been the easiest thing but I have had incredible support and we are making a difference. Having to navigate very sensitive issues has definitely given me extra 'armour' if I can put it that way for what [the IOC] will face in in the future, and we're going to have to navigate difficult leaders that have different opinions on things."

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