Allyson Felix and Inbee Park among 32 athlete candidates at Paris Olympics in IOC membership vote
Two of the most decorated female athletes in their respective sports, sprinter Allyson Felix and golfer Inbee Park, are among the 32 candidates vying for a seat on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission. The elections will take place during the Paris Olympics in 2024, where four members will be chosen by their fellow athletes to represent them at the IOC.
The IOC Athletes’ Commission is a body that serves as a link between the athletes and the IOC, and provides them with a platform to share their voices and experiences. The members of the commission also participate in the decision-making process of the IOC, such as selecting the host cities and the sports program for the Olympic Games.
Felix, who is the most decorated female track and field athlete in Olympic history with seven gold medals and 11 medals in total, is one of the four candidates appointed by the IOC President Thomas Bach. The other three are triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee of Britain, cyclist Masomah Ali Zada of the Refugee Olympic Team, and bobsledder Oluseyi Smith of Canada.
Park, who is a seven-time major winner and a gold medalist at the Rio Olympics in 2016, is one of the 28 candidates nominated by their respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs). Park is the first Korean female athlete and the first Korean golfer to run for the IOC Athletes’ Commission. She will compete with other prominent athletes such as tennis star Novak Djokovic of Serbia, basketball player Pau Gasol of Spain, and hockey player Sardar Singh of India.
The candidates for the IOC Athletes’ Commission must have participated in at least one of the last three editions of the Olympic Games, or in the upcoming edition in Paris. They must also be supported by their NOCs and their International Federations. The candidates must also adhere to the Olympic Charter and the IOC Code of Ethics, and promote the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect.
The elections for the IOC Athletes’ Commission will take place from July 14 to August 3, 2024, during the Paris Olympics. The athletes who will compete in the Games will have the right to vote for four candidates from four different sports. The results will be announced on August 4, 2024, and the elected members will be sworn in as IOC members at the Closing Ceremony on August 13, 2024.
The IOC Athletes’ Commission currently has 19 members, of which 12 are elected and seven are appointed. The commission is chaired by Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, a former Olympic swimming champion. The current members include two Koreans, table tennis player Ryu Seung-min and taekwondo practitioner Moon Dae-sung, who will both complete their terms in 2024.
