New IOC President Kirsty Coventry’s Memorabilia Thief Nabbed as Two Arrested in Zimbabwe

Two siblings have been detained and appeared in a Zimbabwean court on Friday, facing accusations of armed robbery at the residence of Kirsty Coventry’s parents, the newly elected President of the International Olympic Committee. It is alleged that they made off with various items of memorabilia linked to Coventry’s sporting career.

John and Mike Nhongwe are charged with the theft of valuables amounting to $90,000 in cash and goods, and are accused of holding Coventry’s parents at gunpoint, as per police reports.

The stolen items reportedly comprised jewellery, firearms, and several keepsakes from Coventry’s time as an Olympic swimmer, in addition to $15,000 in cash.

While law enforcement and prosecutors have not elaborated on the specifics of the memorabilia, state media have suggested that it included clothing from Coventry’s Olympic career. The incident reportedly took place on March 10.

At 41, Coventry was elected as the new head of the IOC on Thursday in Greece, marking a historic milestone as she becomes the first woman and first African to take on this prestigious role in the world of sports. A two-time Olympic swimming champion, she competed in five Summer Games before her retirement in 2016.

Since 2018, she has held the position of Zimbabwe’s minister of sports and is anticipated to return to her home country on Sunday, as noted by the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee.

According to police reports, the Nhongwe brothers restrained Coventry’s parents using shoelaces at their home in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. It remains unclear whether Coventry was present in Zimbabwe at the time of the robbery, which coincided with the lead-up to the IOC vote.

Further details regarding the stolen Olympic memorabilia and the status of its recovery are slated to be revealed during a court session on Sunday, when the two accused brothers are expected to face formal charges and receive an indictment. A magistrate has ordered that they remain in custody until that hearing.

Coventry, who holds the title of Africa’s most decorated Olympian, is set to embark on her eight-year tenure as the leader of the international Olympic movement in June.

She will take over from Germany’s Thomas Bach, who has held the presidency of the IOC since 2013.