Tokyo, Feb 21 : The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Friday that former Spanish basketball star Pau Gasol has been elected chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, taking a leading role in representing athletes worldwide.
Gasol, a five time Olympian who won silver medals at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, and bronze at Rio 2016, joined the Athletes’ Commission during the Tokyo 2020 Games. He also serves on the IOC Coordination Commission for Los Angeles 2028 and the IOC Ethics Commission.
Under the new leadership team, Polish cyclist Maja Wloszczowska will continue as first vice-chair, Kenyan rugby player Humphrey Kayange was elected second vice-chair, and Canada’s Oluseyi Smith will assume the newly created third vice-chair position. The elections took place during a meeting of the IOC Athletes’ Commission in Milan, with the chair and vice chairs set to serve until the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
“This is a big moment to take on the responsibility of leading our commission,” Gasol said. “Since I was elected in Tokyo in 2021, it’s been an incredible learning journey that I’m excited to continue. We have a unique opportunity until LA28 to make significant strides, and the stronger we work together, the more we will accomplish.”
The IOC Athletes’ Commission plays a central role in the Olympic movement, representing the global athlete voice within the IOC. The commission comprises up to 23 members, including 12 elected during the Summer and Winter Games and up to 11 appointed members to ensure balance across gender, regions, and sports.