MUMBAI: Two members were elected to the Executive Board of the International Olympics Committee (IOC) at the 141st session of IOC on Monday, announced the body.
The IOC session in Mumbai was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. The session serves as a key meeting of the members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Important decisions regarding the future of the Olympic games are made at the IOC Sessions.
“The IOC Session today elected two members to the IOC Executive Board. Prince Feisal Al Hussein (Jordan) was re-elected to the Executive Board for a second four-year term. Prince Feisal was originally elected to the Executive Board in 2019,” said a statement from IOC.
“Meanwhile, Kirsty Coventry (Zimbabwe), who previously served on the Executive Board from 2018 to 2021 in her capacity as Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, was elected for a four-year term.”
“Nawal El-Moutawakel’s (Morocco) term of office on the Executive Board came to an end. Mrs El-Moutawakel had served since January 1, 2020, when she replaced Willi Kaltschmitt Lujan who had reached the age limit on December 31, 2019. Mrs El-Moutawakel had previously served on the Executive Board from 2008 to 2012,” concluded the statement.
On the same occasion, and after a vote, seven IOC Members nearing end of their eight-year term, following their election or re-election in 2015, were re-elected for another eight years, and age limit was taken into consideration for the end of their terms (80 years for those elected before December 1999 and 70 years for those elected after that date).
“The Members were Nawal El Moutawakel (Morocco, Independent Individual, year of birth: 1962, elected in 1998), Prince Albert II (Monaco, Independent Individual, year of birth: 1958, elected in 1985), and the Grand Duke of Luxembourg (Luxembourg, Independent Individual, year of birth: 1955, elected in 1998). All were elected for another eight-year term,” said the statement.
“Meanwhile, taking age limits into consideration, Valeriy Borzov (Ukraine, Independent Individual, year of birth: 1949, elected in 1994) was re-elected to serve until the end of 2029; Gunilla Lindberg (Sweden, Independent Individual, year of birth: 1947, elected in 1996) was re-elected to serve until the end of 2027; Syed Shahid Ali (Pakistan, Independent Individual, year of birth: 1946, elected in 1996) was re-elected to serve until the end of 2026; and Nenad Lalovic (Serbia, membership linked to his function as President of United World Wrestling (UWW), year of birth: 1958, elected in 2015) was elected to serve until the end of 2028,” added the statement.
The session also voted in approval of an extension of office terms for four years of two IOA members.
“The Session also voted to approve the extension of the terms of office for four years of two IOC Members, Luis Mejia Oviedo (Dominican Republic, Independent Individual, year of birth: 1953, elected in 2017), whose age limit, 70, will be reached at the end of 2023, starting from January 1, 2024, and running until the end of 2027. This is due to his position as President of the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organisation (ODECABE) and to his pioneering role in promoting the Olympic Movement and its values through a national Olympic Channel,” said the statement.
“Similarly, Gerardo Werthein (Argentina, Independent Individual, year of birth: 1955, elected in 2011), whose age limit, 70, will be reached at the end of 2025, starting from January 1, 2026 and running until the end of 2029. His position as Chair of the Boards of Directors of Olympic Broadcasting Services SA and SL, and his role as Chair of the Technology and Technical Innovation Commission are key to the IOC’s digital strategy,” added the statement.
Also, on the recommendation of IOC EB in September 2023 and in accordance with rule 22.2 of the Olympic Charter and Article 2 of the IOC Ethics Commission’s statutes, the session re-elected a member of the IOC Ethics Commission, which has a total of nine members.
“Finally, following the recommendation of the IOC Executive Board in September 2023 and in accordance with Rule 22.2 of the Olympic Charter and Art. 2 of the IOC Ethics Commission’s statutes, the IOC Session re-elected to the IOC Ethics Commission Patricia O’Brien (Ireland) for a final four-year term in her capacity as personality, Independent Member. Mrs O’Brien was first elected to the IOC Ethics Commission in 2015,” said the statement.
“The IOC Ethics Commission is composed of nine members – four are IOC Members, one of whom must be an Athletes’ Commission member. The other five members are prominent personalities known for their independence of spirit, their competency and their international reputation. They must not be IOC Members, Honorary IOC Members or former IOC Members. The Commission Chair is one of these independent members. The Chair and members are elected for a term of four years, which may be renewed no more than twice,” concluded the statement.
Also, Cricket will be a part of the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 and will make its return after 128 years to the multi-sport extravaganza, announced the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday.
The 2028 event will also include sports like baseball/softball, lacrosse, squash and flag football. The proposal from the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 to include these games in the programme was accepted at the ongoing 141st IOC session being held in Mumbai.
Cricket made its sole appearance at the 1900 Paris Olympics in which Great Britain defeated France in the final. But it is played in Commonwealth Games and Asian Games as well.
Two IOC members opposed the proposal and one abstained from voting.
India is hosting the IOC session for the second time and after a gap of about 40 years. The IOC’s 86th session was held in New Delhi in 1983. (ANI)