International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry was caught off guard by questions about Germany and a Russian anti-doping chair, among other things, on Friday.
During a press conference ahead of Sunday’s Closing Ceremony of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Coventry declared that “maybe someone needs to be dismissed” from her team after she was blindsided by questions featuring topics she was not aware of.
Coventry, in her first Olympics as IOC President, turned to her team when asked for her opinion on a spokesperson for German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier saying that hosting the 2036 Olympics would be “historically problematic,” as it would mark a century since the Nazi Games.
“Frankly, and I’m looking at my team because I was not aware that Germany had made any comments in and around 2036,” Coventry said.
“So I don’t really have an opinion on it.”
Mark Adams, the IOC’s communications director, chimed in, explaining, “I hadn’t seen that,” despite trying to monitor global press.
Coventry called out her team again when a New York Times reporter asked about whether “a known whistleblower” had informed the World Anti-Doping Agency that the “current chair of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency was directly involved with widespread doping surrounding the Sochi Games” in 2014 — adding The Times has information that the “IOC was aware of this.”
“OK, I’m really looking at my team and maybe someone needs to be dismissed because I’m not aware of that either,” Coventry said.
“So, but I would be very interested to find out more about it. So, if you could share it directly with me that would be very important information and knowledge.
“Well, if it’s on ‘The New York Times, again, I’m looking at my team to be like, ‘What happened, guys? Where are we?’
“I am not aware of that, but maybe we can have a conversation. My chief of staff is sitting up here in the front. It would be nice to have a conversation right after this outside. Thank you.”
Adams added, “I hadn’t heard it, so.”
2026 WINTER OLYMPICS
Before that, Coventry was asked about FIFA leader Gianni Infantino taking part in U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace launch.
“Well, I wasn’t aware that we had an IOC member front and center… so I don’t really have much to say about it,” Coventry said.
“Again, I think that from the IOC’s point of view, we will continue to be politically neutral and I think that is the only way for us as an organization to ensure that we allow for there to be fairness on the field of play. And that’s what we’re going to continue to do as we walk into the future.”
When asked by another reporter if she will be looking into the matter, Coventry said, “Well, again, I was not aware of it. So now that you guys have made us aware of it, we’ll go back and then of course, we’ll have a look into it.
“The Olympic Charter is very clear on what it expects of its members and we will go and research into the alleged signing of documents, I guess.”