 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Former Olympic champions Alexander Popov of Russia and Moon Dae-sung from South Korea are among four new members elected to the International Olympic Committee's athletes commission.
Popov, 50 meters freestyle gold medalist at the 1992 and 1996 Games, and Moon, a taekwondo gold medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics, were joined by German fencer Claudia Bokel and Cuban volleyball player Ruiz-Luaces Yumilka.
The four would become International Olympic Committee (IOC) members for eight years after election by their peers during the Beijing Games and would represent athletes' interests in the Olympic movement, the IOC said in a statement on Thursday.
The commission deals with matters related to all Olympic athletes, including their participation, training and living conditions. They also contribute to the IOC's anti-doping program and its environmental and gender equality policies.
IOC member Anita DeFrantz, who announced the results at the athletes' village, said the four had enormous experience and would help get the voice of athletes heard.
More than 70 percent of the 10,500 athletes in Beijing voted.
"The commission really is a unique and very efficient link between active athletes and the IOC," said DeFrantz.
The commission's president is Namibian sprinter Frank Fredericks.
Only athletes who had competed in Beijing and Athens and had a clean doping record could stand for the four posts.
The commission has 19 members, including active and retired athletes. Twelve are elected by athletes competing in the Games and up to seven athletes are appointed by the IOC president to ensure a balance between regions, genders and sports.
