Bobsleigh’s Won Yun-jong Selected as IOC Athletes’ Commission Candidate

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee announced on June 30 that Won Yun-jong, who won South Korea’s first-ever medal (a silver) in the four-man bobsleigh at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics, has been selected as a candidate for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission election to be held during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

On June 26 (local time), the IOC Executive Board, meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, released the final list of candidates for the IOC Athletes’ Commission election, which will take place during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The list includes Won Yun-jong and world-class winter sports athletes from 11 countries.

The IOC Athletes’ Commission members are elected by direct vote of Olympic athletes, with the top two vote-getters (from different sports) being selected. The term is eight years, and only one person per National Olympic Committee (NOC) can be elected. For South Korea, Yoo Seung-min, the current president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, was elected at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics and will complete his term at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

Won Yun-jong is a pioneer in Korean bobsleigh, making history at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics by winning South Korea’s and Asia’s first-ever Olympic medal in a sledding event. He was selected earlier this year as the domestic candidate upon the recommendation of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee.

The IOC Athletes’ Commission election will be held from the opening of the athletes’ village on January 30, 2026, until the closing of the polling stations on February 18, 2026, during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The winners will be officially announced on February 19, the day after voting concludes.

Won Yun-jong stated, “I want to represent not only South Korea but also the voices of winter sports athletes worldwide in the international community, and to contribute to the protection of athletes’ rights and the Olympic spirit.”