Kirsty Coventry made history Monday as she was inaugurated as the first woman and first African president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on the organization’s 131st anniversary, with tributes declaring the Olympic movement is “in the best of hands.”

The 41-year-old, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming for Zimbabwe, will officially assume office Tuesday after winning a decisive seven-candidate election in March to succeed Thomas Bach.

Coventry, a mother of two, credited her family, especially her young daughters, as “my rocks, my inspiration” as she prepares to lead the IOC through the next eight years, including the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

“You are my constant reminders of why we do what we do every single day,” Coventry said, addressing 6-year-old Ella, seated near the front of the ceremony.

“You are a constant reminder of why this movement is relevant, why it needs to change, why we need to embrace the new ways,” the new president said. “And you will be a constant reminder for many years to come on the decisions that we all take together.”

She thanked her husband, Tyrone Seward, saying, “You have always stood by my side and never said, ‘No.’ And I appreciate that because that is something that doesn’t come very often.”

Coventry, a former swim team standout at Auburn University, said Olympic leaders are “guardians of a platform … to inspire, to change lives, to bring hope.”

Bach’s voice cracked with emotion minutes earlier as he handed over a symbolic key to the presidency to his protege in Olympic politics.

The 71-year-old German lawyer, an Olympic team fencing champion in 1976, leaves after the maximum 12 years in office. He said the IOC was now in the “best of hands” with Coventry.

“I believe with all my heart that the Olympic movement is ready for the future,” said Bach, adding he had “given all I could” to the IOC and the Games.

The ceremony took place in a temporary structure in the gardens of Olympic House, designed in the style of the Grand Palais in Paris, which hosted fencing and taekwondo at the Summer Games last year.

On a steamy, humid day at the IOC’s lakeside headquarters, a sudden downpour minutes before the scheduled start forced Bach and Coventry to share an umbrella as they walked from the villa that was once the Olympic home.

The hour-long ceremony included a four-minute tribute montage to Bach, who has now become the IOC’s honorary president. He has expressed a wish to counsel his successor.

Coventry’s first day in office will include a closed-door session to hear the views of around 100 IOC members. They include current and former heads of state, business leaders and billionaires, past and current Olympic athletes, and leaders of Olympic sports.

In a team photo taken after the handover, the IOC member who stayed closest to Coventry was Nita Ambani, a member of India’s richest family and a key figure in the country’s bid to host the 2036 Olympics.

Choosing the host city shapes up as one of the biggest decisions of the new president’s first term.

Asia appears favored, with Middle East neighbors Qatar and Saudi Arabia also preparing bids under the IOC’s more flexible and less predictable process that allows fast-tracking a preferred candidate to avoid a contested vote.

A theme voiced by Coventry’s election opponents – including IOC Vice President Juan Antonio Samaranch – was a desire for more consultation and shared decision-making after Bach’s hands-on presidency. Their first opportunity to speak comes Tuesday.

“It’s an important step to listen and to give people the opportunity to talk,” said William Blick, an IOC member from Uganda, welcoming the powerful symbol of electing the first IOC leader from Africa, who is also a young woman. “It’s a very good way for her to start.”

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Lionel Messi is poised for a mouthwatering showdown with former club Paris Saint-Germain after Inter Miami secured a place in the Club World Cup last 16 on Monday.

Miami advanced as Group A runners-up following a dramatic 2-2 draw with Palmeiras, who clawed back from two goals down to finish top.

The MLS side now braces for an all-Brazil last-16 clash with Botafogo, which edged through Group B in second despite a 1-0 loss to Atletico Madrid, eliminating the Spaniards in the process.

Champions of Europe PSG won their group with a 2-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders, paving the way for a clash with Messi and surprise package Miami.

Goals from Tadeo Allende and Luis Suarez had Miami on course for a second win in the tournament after their shock victory over Porto.

But Palmeiras struck twice in the last 10 minutes at Hard Rock Stadium through Paulinho and Mauricio to ensure they topped the group.

Suarez, Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Miami coach Javier Mascherano will also face their former coach Luis Enrique, who guided them to the treble while in charge at Barcelona in 2015.

“We’re talking about the champions of Europe. We know many of their players and their coach, who I was lucky enough to have coach me, and I’ve always said he is the best in the world,” said Alba.

“I will connect with good friends there, but once the game starts, we will compete, try to beat them, and why can’t we do it? This is football.”

Mascherano said Miami’s progress had elevated Major League Soccer.

“It’s a historic night for MLS, because we are into the best 16 teams in the world. All of the MLS has to be proud of Inter Miami,” he said.

Portuguese side Porto and Egypt’s Al Ahly were eliminated after a thrilling 4-4 draw, which wasn’t enough for either team to overtake Palmeiras or Miami.

European champions PSG bounced back from their surprise defeat to Botafogo with a comfortable win in Seattle.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Achraf Hakimi scored on either side of halftime as the Ligue 1 champions advanced as group winners due to Botafogo’s late defeat to Atletico Madrid in Pasadena.

“It wasn’t easy because the pitch was very different from what we are used to in Europe, so we couldn’t play with the fluidity that we like, but we adapted,” said PSG coach Enrique.

PSG top scorer Ousmane Dembele played no part for a third game running after traveling to the tournament with an injury.

Atletico out

Atletico’s 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in their opener left them needing a big win against Botafogo to progress.

Former France international Antoine Griezmann scored the game’s only goal, lashing home a Julian Alvarez cross in the 87th minute to give Atletico a win that ultimately proved in vain.

“We’re frustrated that we didn’t qualify – we had six points,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said.

“At the end of the day, we were punished because it wasn’t enough.”

Atletico needed a two-goal swing and were frustrated by unawarded penalty appeals.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, to be honest. I think we should have been awarded two penalties,” said winger Giuliano Simeone, the coach’s son.

On Tuesday, already qualified Bayern Munich faces Benfica and eliminated Auckland City takes on Boca Juniors in Group C, with one more last-16 spot up for grabs.

Later, Premier League side Chelsea meets Esperance Tunis, with the winner advancing alongside Flamengo, who face Los Angeles FC.

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Carlos Alcaraz sent a strong message to his Wimbledon challengers after clinching a second Queen’s Club title, declaring he “feels great” on grass following a gritty win over Czech Jiri Lehecka in Sunday’s final.

The world No. 2 overcame a fierce test from the 30th-ranked Lehecka, grinding out a 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-2 victory in the Wimbledon tuneup to stretch his career-best winning streak to 18 matches.

At just 22, Alcaraz is hitting peak form at the perfect time. His scorching run includes titles at the French Open, Rome Masters and now Queen’s – firmly positioning him as the man to beat at the All England Club.

But the two-time Grand Slam champion had arrived in west London concerned about his ability to make the tricky transition from the clay-court season to the unique demands of the brief grass campaign.

Underscoring the difficulty of the task, Alcaraz is the first player to win Roland Garros and Queen’s back-to-back since Rafael Nadal in 2008.

“I’m going to say it’s really complicated, the switch from clay to grass in just a few days, because that’s the time I had before the tournament began – just two days of practicing,” Alcaraz said.

“So I came here with no expectations at all. I came here with a goal to play two or three matches, try to feel great on grass, and give myself the feedback on what I have to improve.

“But I got used to the grass really quick, and I’m really proud about it. My goal was complete, and I’m not talking about lifting the trophy or making the final.

“It was just to feel great, to feel really comfortable on grass once again.”

For a player raised on the clay courts of Spain, Alcaraz has become a formidable force on the lawns of Queen’s and Wimbledon.

He is only the third Spanish man to win four grass-court tournaments, joining Nadal and Feliciano Lopez.

“It’s great to be with Rafa and Feli, such great players from our country,” he said. “Hopefully, now I will not stop here. Hopefully, I’ll keep going.”

‘I had so much hate’

A key part of Alcaraz’s winning formula is his ability to switch off from tennis after tournaments to ensure he is refreshed when he returns to the court.

The former world No. 1 partied in Ibiza after his epic five-set French Open final triumph against Jannik Sinner earlier this month.

He won’t have time for a similar holiday before Wimbledon starts on June 30, but he plans to relax as much as possible in London before focusing on his bid for a second successive All England Club crown.

“A lot of people ask me the same question: Are you going to go back to Ibiza? I wish! As I said, I’m a player who needs days off to enjoy, days for myself to spend with my friends, with my family, just to turn off my mind,” he said.

“I can’t go back home. I’m going to stay here in London, hopefully enjoy it a little bit, then be back and preparing for Wimbledon the best way possible.”

While Sinner crashed out in the Halle second round against Alexander Bublik this week, Alcaraz’s success at Queen’s improved his record since losing to David Goffin at the Miami Masters in March to a formidable 27-1.

Alcaraz believes that defeat was a turning point in his season.

“I had so much hate when I lost in Miami. A lot of people started to say, ‘What’s going on with this guy? He just lost in the first round, and he didn’t practice, he didn’t go to the court,’” Alcaraz said.

“I think that was the key – just to have five, six days off, not grabbing a racket, not stepping on the court. Just go on vacation with my family, to turn off my mind, to think what should I have done better?

“I just got the joy back. I started to enjoy playing tennis again, realizing what is the most important thing for me.”

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First impressions can mislead, but Kirsty Coventry has already proven she’s more than just a friendly face.

When she takes over from Thomas Bach as president of the International Olympic Committee on Monday, the 41-year-old Zimbabwean, set to become the first woman and first African to lead the world’s most powerful sporting body, will step into a role requiring serious grit.

And one name already looms large: Donald Trump.

With Los Angeles set to host the 2028 Olympics, the former U.S. president is expected to become a recurring figure on Coventry’s radar.

Trump, never one to mince words, has famously lashed out at world leaders – including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.

Coventry’s test will be navigating those political ripples while keeping the Olympic flame steady.

Judging by her initial response, after a commanding first-round victory in the presidential election in March, she may have Trump’s measure.

“I have been dealing with, let’s say, difficult men in high positions since I was 20 years old,” she said, adding, “Communication will be key.”

Unlike Trump, though, Coventry embraces the word “failure,” for it helped forge her stellar career.

“Everything’s scary. Embrace that. You have to fail,” Coventry told the swimming team at her American alma mater, Auburn University, last year.

“I’ve learned the best lessons by failing, and I have failed at many things. Life has a really good way of humbling you.”

At the same time, a steely resolve surfaces when winning is at stake.

“I was banned from playing card games with the family because they didn’t like to deal with me when I lost,” she said.

A glance at Coventry’s resume suggests failure in her life has been relative.

Coventry, who had the Olympic rings tattooed on a leg after her first Games in 2000, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and has contributed seven of Zimbabwe’s overall Games medal tally of eight.

She has accrued domestic political experience, serving as Zimbabwe’s minister of youth, sport, arts and recreation from 2019 to this year.

That drew some flak, as she served in a government whose 2023 election was declared “neither free nor fair” by the International Commission of Jurists.

“I don’t think you can stand on the sidelines and scream and shout for change,” she said in her defense.

“I believe you have to be seated at the table to try and create it.”

Her record as a minister has been heavily criticized by Zimbabwe’s arts community in particular.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa – whose predecessor, Robert Mugabe, labeled Coventry “a golden girl” and awarded her $100,000 after she brought home gold from Beijing in 2008 – hit back.

“Whoever was not impressed by her can appoint someone else when they become president,” said the 82-year-old.

‘Very hard times’

In 2004, Coventry gave insight into why she would later accept such a poisoned chalice and how white Zimbabweans often must strike a delicate balance.

“Zimbabwe is my home,” she said after returning to a heroine’s parade following her first Olympic gold at the Athens Games.

“It’s where I was born. It’s my culture. I will always represent Zimbabwe. Color doesn’t matter to me.

“I think every country goes through bad years and good years.”

Coventry had a largely urban upbringing. Her parents, Rob and Linn, owned a chemical company in a suburb of Harare. But the farming evictions – in which predominantly white farm owners were forced off their land in the early 2000s – affected her too.

“I have had very close family members and friends on farms who have gone through very hard times,” Coventry said.

Away from controversy, she has shown decisive leadership in dealing with Zimbabwean football officials and FIFA.

She backed the government body, the Sports and Recreation Commission, when it suspended the Zimbabwe Football Association over allegations of fraud and the sexual harassment of referees.

FIFA has a zero-tolerance policy for political interference in its associations and barred Zimbabwe from international football in February 2022.

By September that year, however, the country was reinstated. A ZIFA official was later banned for five years for sexually harassing three female referees.

Coventry said in 2023 that the process had been “hard, but it was worth it, to have a way forward that’s going to benefit us as a country.”

Those tempted to underestimate Coventry in the years ahead have been duly warned.

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The roaring engines and salt-kissed winds of Çeşme welcomed the MotoSurf World Championship for the first time in Türkiye this weekend, drawing 80 elite athletes from 17 nations to Altınkum Beach in a thrilling two-day spectacle that left waves and hearts racing.

Hosted by the Turkish Motorcycle Federation (TMF), the high-octane event saw 10 Turkish athletes join the international field, navigating powerful boards across turquoise waters before roaring crowds.

As the final race concluded, medals were handed out in an emotional ceremony capping a landmark moment in Turkish motorsports.

Among the spectators was former Youth and Sports Minister and Izmir MP Dr. Mehmet Kasapoğlu, who gave the final start and praised Izmir’s growing role in global sports.

“We’re in one of the world’s most beautiful cities,” he said. “This event proves that İzmir is not only a cultural and historical gem, but now a rising power in global sports tourism.”

Bridge and healer

Kasapoğlu emphasized that sport is more than competition – it’s a unifier and healer.

“Sport brings people together. It heals. And Türkiye understands this deeply,” he said, noting the country’s strategic steps toward becoming a true “sports nation.”

From infrastructure to inspiration

Citing the past 23 years of investment, Kasapoğlu praised Türkiye’s transformation, from state-of-the-art facilities to a growing talent pool.

“We’ve built a vast infrastructure – from major cities to the most remote villages. Now, we’re seeing a generation that values and thrives on it.”

He pointed to Çeşme’s geography – a jewel of the Aegean – as ideal for developing youth talent in sailing, water polo, and now, motosurf, an emerging force among Turkish water sports.

Izmir: The next sporting capital

“Izmir is a brand,” he said. “With its climate, history, and modern infrastructure, it’s poised to be a sporting powerhouse – from swimming and gymnastics to football and basketball.”

He envisioned İzmir becoming a sports tourism hub, driving both national and local development through collaborative efforts between the government, the private sector, and civil society.

The future is local and global

Kasapoğlu concluded with a call to action:

“Let’s raise Izmir’s brand. Let’s push Türkiye’s sporting future to new heights. Through local pride and global ambition, we’ll honor our history and shape new legends.”

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As FIFA rolled out its most ambitious reinvention yet – a monthlong Club World Cup in the U.S. – it promised big crowds, global stars, and a taste of the beautiful game ahead of the 2026 Men’s World Cup.

What it got instead, in places like Orlando and Atlanta, were echoes.

Tuesday night at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando was supposed to be a celebration of global football. Instead, it turned into a cautionary tale.

As Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa faced South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai, swaths of yellow seats spelling “ORLANDO” went almost entirely unobstructed.

FIFA initially declined to publish the official attendance, but several days later reported 3,412. Eyewitness estimates put it closer to 1,000.

“It’s like playing football during lockdown,” one fan posted on social media.

Even with ticket prices slashed to $23 and a stadium seating just 25,500 – one of the smallest tournament venues – the turnout barely registered. A thunderstorm delayed kickoff by over an hour, possibly discouraging late arrivals.

But realistically, the matchup itself was a hard sell for a local crowd more familiar with American football than CAF Champions League narratives.

Miami bubble

Meanwhile, the tournament’s pulse could be heard loud and clear in Miami.

Inter Miami’s opener against Egyptian giant Al Ahly drew nearly 61,000 to Hard Rock Stadium – a number that might look even more impressive when you consider the ticket prices once floated at $349 during presales.

Every game in Miami since has drawn more than 55,000. Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors, a clash of continental champions, saw a near-capacity 63,587 fans.

Boca supporters dominated the energy, creating what Bayern striker Harry Kane described as a “hostile” atmosphere.

And while the Florida Panthers were battling for the Stanley Cup nearby, Boca and Real Madrid fans queued under a blazing sun for hours, eager to soak in the spectacle.

L.A. lights, Atlanta lows

The week’s biggest number came from Los Angeles, where 80,619 turned out to watch Paris Saint-Germain face Atletico Madrid at the iconic Rose Bowl – the highest crowd of the opening week and one of the largest ever for a Club World Cup match.

But it hasn’t all been glitter and flash.

Chelsea, a club with global pull, could only draw 22,000 to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for a midweek game against LAFC – barely filling a third of the 71,000-seat venue.

Even Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami couldn’t pack the house for their second game in the same stadium, managing 31,783 fans.

“The environment was a bit strange… the stadium was almost empty,” Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca admitted.

Mixed numbers, Murky takeaways

Through the first eight matches, FIFA reported more than 340,000 in attendance and 1.5 million tickets sold overall.

Ten of the first 24 matches cleared 40,000 attendees.

The average sits around 36,000 – respectable, but still short of the Champions League’s 46,000 average.

The Champions League final this year drew 64,327. England’s FA Cup final had 84,163 fans.

The biggest game of FIFA’s tournament so far – PSG vs. Atletico – was only slightly behind, signaling potential if marquee matches are marketed effectively.

Still, these mixed results raise red flags for Infantino’s grand vision.

The Club World Cup is meant to be the crown jewel of global club competition. Infantino has called it “the undisputed pinnacle of global club football.” But Tuesday’s ghost game in Orlando – and the swathes of empty seats across several fixtures – suggest the crown may still need polishing.

World Cup warm-up?

The Club World Cup is more than a competition – it’s a trial balloon for 2026.

As FIFA prepares to host the Men’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, it’s counting on surging fan interest and booming ticket sales to justify its American bet.

The Club World Cup serves as a litmus test: will American fans embrace a new global football tradition?

According to FIFA, international ticket demand has come mainly from Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico.

European fans appear less eager to travel. That’s not surprising, but it puts pressure on local markets to fill seats, especially for mid-level games.

And that’s where the challenge lies. For every blockbuster in Miami or Los Angeles, there’s been a ghost game in Orlando or a patchy crowd in Atlanta.

Optics matter

In football, numbers count – but optics matter more. Sparse crowds for high-level games don’t just impact atmosphere.

They threaten the credibility of the tournament itself, especially as FIFA tries to pitch it as a staple of the global sports calendar.

The question is no longer whether the Club World Cup can deliver big nights – it already has. It’s whether it can deliver them consistently, across cities, across matchups, and across cultures.

For now, FIFA will hope the low points fade into the background, and the sound of 80,000 fans in L.A. or 60,000 in Miami becomes the soundtrack of a tournament still finding its voice.