07 Dec 2021 – The proposal of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission (AC) to create a second Vice-Chair position has been accepted today by the IOC Executive Board (EB).
The second Vice-Chair will work closely with IOC AC Chair Emma Terho and first Vice-Chair Seung-min Ryu.
“The decision reflects the increased contribution of the Commission in various key areas and projects across the Olympic Movement”, Terho commented. “The position is also very helpful to empower the IOC AC and fulfill its mission to ensure that the athletes voice is represented in every Olympic Movement decision”
Opportunity for both elected and appointed members
The position will be open to both the elected and the appointed members, providing more inclusivity for the IOC AC’s appointed members. The IOC AC Chair and first Vice-Chair positions will remain open only to the elected members of the Commission.
The candidates for the second Vice-Chair position, as well as for the Chair and first Vice-Chair positions, will be proposed and elected by the IOC AC during each edition of the Olympic Summer and Winter Games.
At the upcoming Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 a record number of athletes will be standing in the IOC AC election. Ten female and seven male athletes from 17 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), six sports and five continents will compete for the two vacant seats on the Commission. They have been nominated by their respective NOCs, together with their NOC Athletes’ Commissions.
Representing the global athlete voice within the IOC and the Olympic Movement
The IOC AC plays a central role within the Olympic Movement, representing the global athlete voice within the IOC and the Olympic Movement. The Commission is composed of a maximum of 23 members, 12 of whom are directly chosen through elections during the Games, with a maximum of 11 appointed members to ensure a balance between genders, regions and sports.
An election is held at every edition of the Olympic Games, with four members chosen at each edition of the Summer Games, and two at each Winter Games edition.
