Also known as: IOC
International Olympic Committee — governing body for the Olympic Games, currently led by president Kirsty Coverty; recently reinstated gender testing for 2028 Olympics.
Sport minister Sanet Steenkamp and deputy minister Dino Ballotti met International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry in Lausanne to discuss strengthening Namibia's sport infrastructure, athlete empowerment, and Olympic collaboration with the Namibia National Olympic Committee.
23 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Sport minister Sanet Steenkamp and deputy minister Dino Ballotti met International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry in Lausanne to discuss strengthening Namibia's sport infrastructure, athlete empowerment, and Olympic collaboration with the Namibia National Olympic Committee.
23 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibia National Olympic Committee and Commonwealth Games Association has established a Medical Commission, endorsed on 16 March 2026, to strengthen athlete health, welfare, and performance systems and align with international Olympic standards. The five-member commission, led by Vice President Gaby Ahrens, will advise on medical policies, athlete safeguarding, and governance through 31 December 2028.
7 April 2026 · New Era →
The International Olympic Committee reinstated genetic sex testing for female athletes at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, banning transgender and many intersex athletes from women's sports. South African distance runner Caster Semenya criticized the policy as "a disrespect for women," expressing disappointment that it was implemented under Zimbabwean IOC president Kirsty Coventry, noting that African and Global South women are disproportionately affected by such measures.
30 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The International Olympic Committee has announced the reintroduction of gender testing through SRY gene screening, last used in 1996, to protect female competition categories. The move raises practical, legal, ethical and scientific questions, with critics including the scientist who discovered the SRY gene arguing the approach is overly simplistic and lacks scientific consensus linking the test to sporting performance, while affected athletes report severe personal and financial consequences.
27 March 2026 · The Namibian →
An opinion piece argues that Namibian sports federations like Athletics Namibia and the NFA should focus on strategic growth, talent pipelines and sponsorships rather than micromanaging events, and should delegate operational duties to trained sports managers to improve performance and professionalism ahead of the 2026 African Games.
17 March 2026 · New Era →
Namibia will receive a N$9-million Fifa-standard football field at the OlympAfrica Centre in Omaruru as part of a continental partnership between Anoca and Fifa aimed at expanding access to quality sport infrastructure across Africa. The facility will provide young Namibians with improved opportunities to participate in organised sport and develop their talents in their communities.
11 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Four years after expelling Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, FIFA and the International Olympic Committee have taken a muted stance toward the recent US-led attack on Iran, prompting experts to accuse them of applying inconsistent standards and prioritizing powerful nations over principle.
10 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia will receive a FIFA-standard football field valued at approximately N$9 million through a continental partnership between ANOCA and FIFA, to be implemented at the NNOC OlympAfrica Centre in Omaruru. The sponsorship was announced by ANOCA president Mustapha Beraff during his visit for the ANOCA Zone VI General Assembly, as part of a broader initiative to develop football infrastructure and expand access to sport for young people across Africa.
9 March 2026 · New Era →
International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry says the organisation should focus on sport and preserve its neutrality, telling IOC members that while politics cannot be entirely separated from their work, the Games must remain a neutral ground where athletes can compete free from political divisions.
4 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Gianni Infantino defended his controversial decision to give US President Donald Trump FIFA's inaugural peace prize at the 2026 World Cup draw in December, dismissing calls for a boycott. Infantino told Sky News that Trump "objectively" deserved the award and rejected suggestions that the World Cup hosting in North America would be boycotted over Trump administration policies.
3 February 2026 · The Namibian →