IOC President calls for responsible evolution of Olympic Movement at ASOIF General Assembly

“The Olympic Movement is needed now more than ever. We all believe in the transformative power that sport has, the power to inspire hope, the power to inspire a dream, the power to simply enable a safe space for kids to just play. And I think all of us believe that it would be a complete injustice for children not to have sport in their daily lives, because we have seen what sport can do,” said Coventry in her speech, reflecting on the ongoing Fit for the Future consultations.

Self-reflection and continuous adaptation needed to strengthen the Olympic Movement

The current challenges impact “how we run an event, how fans engage with us”, President Coventry explained to the presidents and secretaries general of the Summer Olympic International Federations (IFs). “We are, I believe, at a crossroads. We will ensure that our Movement remains relevant, but we will only be able to do that if we do it together.”

She thanked the IFs for their continued commitment to athletes and the Olympic Movement, while calling for a collective and forward-looking approach to the future of the Olympic programme. She underlined the importance of self-reflection and continuous adaptation to strengthen the Movement for the years ahead.

“We have to be the best version of ourselves”

“I know that I am now asking all of us to sit down and look and analyse ourselves, looking at what have we achieved, where are we today, how can we get better,” said Coventry. “We need to do that in order to be as strong as we possibly can be, so that, together, we can combat all the things I just shared. We have to be the best version of ourselves; we have to be the fittest we have ever been in order to be able to move this Movement forward.”

Drawing a parallel with the mindset of elite athletes, Coventry acknowledged that meaningful progress requires honesty, discipline and a willingness to confront challenges directly.

“[It is about having] the mindset of an athlete, the mindset of ‘I need to acknowledge my weaknesses in order to turn them into strengths, in order to potentially get on the Olympic podium and win a medal for my country’. But that does not come easy. It takes a lot of work, it takes a lot of time, and it takes being disciplined and extremely purpose driven. These are all words that are relatable to our Movement.”

Transparency and dialogue, key to the future of the Olympic programme

Thanking the IF representatives for the constructive discussions during a workshop this week, the IOC President reaffirmed the IOC’s commitment to transparency and collaboration in shaping the future of the Olympic programme.

“I hope that you can see, from the work that is being done, that we are just trying to identify a process in which we can all thrive, and in which we can all try to make the most relevant Olympic programme in the future.”

Acknowledging the growing size, complexity and cost of the Olympic Games, the President emphasised the importance of open dialogue as the Movement navigates future changes.

“We have to be able to have difficult conversations in the most respectful way, but in the most open and transparent way – knowing that we are trying to achieve the same goal.”

Speaking about the opportunity this process represents for the Olympic Movement, Coventry highlighted the importance of trust and accountability.

“It is an opportunity to showcase to the world that we are transparent, that we are a trusted partner. These things matter to athletes and to the general public.”

Looking ahead to the upcoming IOC Session in June, the President stressed that this is the first step of many, and only the beginning of a longer process aimed at creating a framework that allows the Olympic Movement to adapt responsibly over time.