Busan: International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry stated that the top Olympic body has "a very strong partnership" with South 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, hosted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), in the southeastern city of Busan.
According to Yonhap News Agency, with North Jeolla Province aiming to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, Coventry acknowledged "two incredible Games already being hosted in Korea in the last six years," referring to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and the upcoming 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics. South Korea also previously hosted the Summer Olympics in Seoul in 1988.
"We have a very strong partnership with the national Olympic Committee (of South Korea)," Coventry said. "I had a wonderful meeting with the 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 South Korean athletes who will compete at next year's Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. "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 Olympic Games, Coventry commented, "I think the most ideal (Olympics) is to have no doping." She emphasized the importance of collective efforts to maintain clean sport, stating, "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. 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."