India’s push toward winning the 2036 Olympics hosting contest has seemed to stall a little in the first big decision of Kirsty Coventry’s IOC presidency.

The International Olympic Committee will spearhead discussions on gender eligibility criteria in sports, its new President Kirsty Coventry said on Thursday, four years after the ruling body had urged federations to handle the issue independently.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry speaks during the Olympic presidential handover ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland, on June 23, 2025. | Credit: Harold Cunningham/ Kirsty Coventry broke several barriers when she became the president of the International Olympic Committee on Monday,