Results of the election to the IOC Athletes’ Commission
Beckie Scott (Canada, Cross-country skiing) and Saku Koivu (Finland, Ice Hockey) are the two new members who have been elected to the IOC Athletes’ Commission by their peers at the Turin Olympic Games, for a term of eight years. Beckie Scott was elected with 449 Votes, followed by Saku Koivu with 412 votes. The announcement was made today by Anita L. DeFrantz, Chairwoman of the Election Committee and IOC member. The election has been held over the past 15 days in the Olympic Villages of Turin, Sestriere and Bardonecchia.
IOC Session vote
The IOC Session will vote on 26 February 2006 to include these two athletes as IOC Members. The new members will be officially introduced at the Closing Ceremony of the XX Winter Olympic Games in Turin.
Higher participation than in Salt Lake City
2003 athletes — 78,2 % of all eligible voters — chose from among 15 candidates from as many countries. Participation was higher than four years ago in Salt Lake City, where 70.4 % of the athletes voted. All the candidate athletes had to be presented by their National Olympic Committee. In order to be eligible, they had to have participated either in the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City or Turin, and never been found guilty of a doping offence during their sports career.
19-member Commission
The IOC Athletes’ Commission is composed of 19 members, of which there are eight summer sports athletes elected by their peers at the Games of the Olympiad; four winter sports athletes elected by their peers at the Olympic Winter Games; and up to seven athletes appointed by the IOC President to ensure a balance in terms of gender, sport and region. In addition, a World Olympic Association representative and an International Paralympic Committee representative are ex-officio members.
Source: IOC
