[News Terms] Only 23 Worldwide, Sports Diplomat 'IOC Athlete Commission Member'

‘Golf Empress’ Park In-bee, who has been shortlisted as a final candidate for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes' Commission, serves as a sports diplomat acting as a bridge between the IOC and active athletes. The IOC Athletes' Commission, established to represent athletes participating in the Olympics, consists of up to 23 members.

Park In-bi, who has been selected as a final candidate for the IOC Athletes' Commission to be elected at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Among them, 12 members (8 from Summer and 4 from Winter) are selected from athletes who have participated in the Olympics. Four members are newly elected during the Summer Olympics, and two during the Winter Olympics. Only athletes who participated in the current or immediately preceding Olympics can run for the IOC Athletes' Commission. However, countries that already have an IOC athlete member cannot nominate additional candidates. The election for the IOC Athletes' Commission takes place from the opening day of the Olympic Village until just before the closing day. During this period, candidates campaign among participating athletes, and the final four are decided by direct votes from the athlete voters. The election results are announced before the closing ceremony. The term is eight years, and these members are also elected as IOC members by a majority vote at the IOC General Assembly.

The remaining 11 athlete members are appointed by the IOC President, considering gender, region of origin, and sport.

Although the IOC Athletes' Commission members serve as unpaid honorary positions, their treatment is equivalent to that of state guests. They hold the same authority as IOC members, including the right to decide Olympic host cities, and are recognized as ambassadors dispatched by the IOC. They do not require visas when entering IOC member countries, and when attending the IOC General Assembly, they receive support from the host country, including a dedicated car and guides. Additionally, the national flag of the IOC athlete member’s country is displayed on the vehicle they ride and the hotel where they stay.

There have been two Korean IOC athlete members in history. Taekwondo athlete Moon Dae-sung was first elected at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and currently, Yoo Seung-min, president of the Korea Table Tennis Association, was elected at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Yoo’s term ends at the upcoming Paris Olympics next year, and with Park In-bee running as a candidate, she is challenging to become Korea’s first female IOC athlete member.

Alongside Park In-bee, 32 athletes are competing in the IOC Athletes' Commission election held at the 2024 Paris Olympics, including multiple Olympic gold medalist track and field athlete Allyson Felix (USA), fencing athlete ?ron Szil?gyi (Hungary), and cyclist Mariana Paj?n (Colombia).