32 athletes to run for IOC Athletes’ Commission elections in Paris
International Olympic Committee
The list of 32 athletes, 18 female and 14 male, who will seek election to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission (AC) next year at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, has been approved by the IOC Executive Board (EB). Four positions are up for election.
29 November 2023 – The candidates, who have been nominated by their respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs) together with their Athletes’ Commissions, come from 15 sports and 32 NOCs.
The full list of candidates and their biographies can be downloaded here.
“It is very encouraging to see the strong interest from our peers who are putting themselves forward to be part of the IOC Athletes’ Commission. Such diverse representation from sports and NOCs means that athletes globally want their voice to be heard and recognise that the IOC AC is a place where they can actively represent and support their peers to succeed in their sporting and non-sporting careers,” said IOC AC Chair Emma Terho. “I am sure that those elected will contribute well to the representation of athletes and to addressing their needs and, on behalf of our Commission, I would like to wish all candidates all the best for the election”.
Elections and outgoing members
The four outgoing elected members of the Commission, who were elected at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and whose term of office will expire at the end of Paris 2024, are:
- Daniel Gyurta (Swimming, Hungary)
- Britta Heidemann (Fencing, Germany)
- Yelena Isinbaeva (Athletics, Russia)
- Seung-min Ryu (Table Tennis, Republic of Korea)
Three appointed members of the Commission will also finish their term in Paris:
- Sarah Walker (BMX, New Zealand)
- Nadin Dawani (Taekwondo, Jordan)
- Aya Medany (Modern Pentathlon, Egypt)
Four candidates from four different sports will be elected directly by their peers to the IOC Athletes’ Commission. All athletes competing at Paris 2024 are eligible to vote in the Athlete365 House in the Olympic Villages during the Olympic Games.
The vote will be supervised and certified by an Election Committee, appointed by the IOC President, Thomas Bach, whose members are: Nicole Hoevertsz (Chair), as a representative of the IOC Legal Affairs Commission; Pâquerette Girard Zappelli, as the IOC Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer; and Emma Terho, as a representative of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.
The election procedure, including the eligibility criteria, can be found here.
The IOC AC
The IOC AC is composed of a maximum of 23 members (12 members directly elected by their peers and a maximum of 11 appointed), who serve a term of eight years. Additionally, and to strengthen the engagement with the network of athlete representatives and the athlete community at large, the Chairs (or their representatives) of the Athletes’ Commissions of all five Continental Associations, the IPC, WADA and the World Olympians Association are also represented on the IOC AC as liaisons.
The vote is held at every Olympic Games, with four members elected at each Summer Games, and two at each Winter Games. Furthermore, the IOC President, in consultation with the IOC AC Chair, can appoint further Commission members, to ensure a good balance between regions, genders and sports. The Chair and 1st and 2nd Vice-Chairs of the Commission are elected by the Commission members, and the Chair and 1st Vice Chair must also be elected members of the AC.
The IOC AC is represented at all levels of decision-making in the IOC and its members are directly involved in all decisions taken by the IOC. This is one of the main responsibilities of the AC, together with supporting athletes’ development in their sporting and non-sporting careers, and serving as a link between the athletes and the IOC.
Any elected member of the IOC AC is put forward for election as an IOC Member. In total, 15 IOC AC members are also IOC Members (including three appointed members who are also elected as IOC Members), the same number as represent the International Federations and National Olympic Committees.
Additionally, the IOC AC Chair is a member of the IOC Executive Board, to ensure that athletes are part of the decision-making process at the highest level.
