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IOC President Coventry notes 'very strong partnership' with Korea

Published: 02 Dec. 2025, 20:47

International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry speaks during the opening ceremony of the World Conference on Doping in Sport at Bexco in the southeastern city of Busan on Dec. 2. [KOREA ANTI-DOPING AGENCY]

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry said Tuesday the top Olympic body has "a very strong partnership" with Korea as it looks to host the 2036 Summer Games.

Coventry made the remark at a press conference on the sidelines of the World Conference on Doping in Sport in the southeastern city of Busan, hosted by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

With North Jeolla looking to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, Coventry mentioned "two incredible Games already being hosted in Korea in the last six years," referring to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics.

Korea also staged the Summer Olympics in Seoul in 1988.

"We have a very strong partnership with the national Olympic committee [of Korea]," Coventry said, adding that she had a "wonderful" meeting with Seoul's minister of culture, sports and tourism, Chae Hwi-young "and the commitment from the government to continue to pursue sports and sporting events is a high priority, and we will continue to work closely with them. I'm sure they will continue to be a really strong partner for us."

Coventry, a seven-time Olympic swimming medalist for Zimbabwe and the first female president in IOC history, also sent a message of encouragement to Korean athletes who will compete at next year's Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, left, poses with Korean Minister of Culture Chae Hwi-young after their meeting at Bexco in the southeastern city of Busan on Dec. 2. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

"To all of the Korean athletes that we will see in Milan-Cortina, we cannot wait to cheer you on. And best of luck, keep your head down and work really hard for these last few months," she said.

Addressing the issue of doping in the Olympic Games, Coventry said, "I think the most ideal [scenario] is to have no doping."

"That's what we strive for, and that's what we work towards. And we can only do that together if we're working together as one to ensure that each of us plays our roles and our responsibilities," she added. "I think we're all here because we believe in clean sport, and ensuring that our athletes continue to have a platform for clean sport will be the top priority."

Yonhap