11 Oct 2021 – Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, IOC member in the Republic of Croatia, has been appointed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President as Chair of the Future Host Commission for the Games of the Olympiad.

An IOC member since 2020, Mrs Grabar-Kitarović is a former President of the Republic of Croatia. She will lead the Commission with immediate effect. The previous Chair, Kristin Kloster Aasen, stood down following her election to the Executive Board (EB), because no EB member can serve on the Future Host Commissions (for the Games of the Olympiad and the Olympic Winter Games), to ensure the broader participation of the IOC Session in the selection procedure.

The new approach to electing Olympic hosts is more flexible and collaborative, with the IOC working with potential hosts to optimise their Olympic projects and align them with long-term social and economic development plans for the benefit of their communities. As a result, there is unprecedented interest from numerous parties on different continents in hosting future Olympic and Paralympic Games.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The Future Host Commissions have an important role in shaping the future of the Olympic Movement.

“Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović will bring rich and diverse skills and experience, including at the very highest levels of government and international relations. As a member of the same Commission, she has already contributed to the successful delivery of the first election under the new approach to choosing Olympic and Paralympic hosts, with the selection of Brisbane 2032,” he added.

Mrs Grabar-Kitarović said: “I am grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with potential hosts on Olympic projects, which will help them to achieve their long-term goals for development, public health, sports participation and inclusion.

“I would like to continue to build on the great work begun under Kristin’s leadership. It is an exciting chance to develop innovative ways to steer the Olympic Games into the future and explore the challenges facing upcoming hosts, such as climate change.”

The vacant position on the Future Host Commission for the Games of the Olympiad has been filled by the IOC member and President of World Triathlon, Marisol Casado.

The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit, civil, non-governmental, international organisation made up of volunteers which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 3.4 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.