The next step towards improved athlete representation in the IOF starts today, with the elections for the Athlete Advisory Groups. In the new structure, each discipline will have an Athlete Advisory Group (AAG), voted for by the athletes of that discipline. Two members (one of each gender) from each of these will make up the Athletes’ Commission (AC). The AC will select two co-chairs (one of each gender), one of which must be from FootO, who will also take up two designated seats on the IOF Council.
By implementing this new structure, the idea is to represent the voice and interests of athletes by engaging directly in the decision making processes within the IOF organisation, and to empower athletes through the communication of information. The aims of the AAGs, the AC, and the Council representatives include promoting fair play, clean sport, and sustainable practices, supporting youth development and athlete networking, and providing organiser feedback.
According to the Terms of Reference, each AAG shall have at least one member from outside Europe and at a minimum two members each of different genders. Although a satisfying number of candidates has been received, all requirements were not fulfilled. Therefore, a number of candidates are already automatically elected.
FootO
Jan Erik Naess from Canada is automatically elected, as he is the only candidate from outside Europe.
SkiO
Doris Kudre from Estonia is automatically elected, as she is the only female candidate. Unfortunately, no candidates from outside Europe were received, so this requirement will be suspended for the current election period.
TrailO
David Irving from the United States is automatically elected as the only candidate from outside Europe, and Ekaterina Koltunova from Russia and Ilze Lapiņa from Latvia are automatically elected as the only female candidates.
MTBO
There are only four candidates for the MTBO AAG, therefore Grigory Medvedev from Russia, Samuel Pökälä from Finland, Vojtěch Ludvík from the Czech Republic, and Gabrielė Andrašiūnienė from Lithuania are all automatically elected and no voting will take place.
Athletes eligible to vote will shortly be receiving a link directly to their email address registered in Eventor. The voting will be open until 15 July, 2021. Find out more about the candidates and elections here.