IOC chief Coventry stirs social media storm over athlete payment comments

The President of the International Olympic Committee, Kirsty Coventry, has been censured by fellow Olympians over her recent comments saying athletes shouldn’t be paid prize money at the Games. Coventry, who represented Zimbabwe at five Olympics and won seven medals, made the controversial comments last week while on her first visit to Oceania as IOC chief. Recommended Stories list of 4 items end of list “I don’t believe in paying athletes,” Coventry told New Zealand based outlet Sport Nation. “I come from a small country, I came from a sport that doesn’t necessarily pay athletes very well and I still don’t think we should be paying athletes at the Olympic Games.” The IOC does not pay athletes a stipend or salary for competing at the Olympic Games. Coventry emphasised in the same interview that the IOC needed “to find more ways to directly impact athletes, and find ways to help them on their journey to becoming Olympians and while they’re Olympians”. She underlined the need for talent identification, and finding means to inspire athletes from smaller nations to make it to the largest sporting event in the world. “That was very much my journey,” Coventry, 42, said. “I was an Olympic solidarity scholarship holder without that money. I’m not sure I would have been as successful, and so I’m so grateful for that.” The multiple Olympic and World champion from Zimbabwe is considered the most decorated African Olympian. …