Spikes13 Dec 2022


Meet the Athletes' Commission

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The Athletes' Commission with World Athletics President Seb Coe (© Michelle Sammet)

The Athletes’ Commission is part of World Athletics’ decision-making process. It advises the Council on the athletes’ perspective(s) and serves as a link between the athletes and World Athletics.

The Athletes’ Commission is comprised of up to 18 members as follows:

  • 12 members who are elected by their peers;
  • Up to 6 other members, who are nominated by Member Federations and appointed by the Council.

Of the 12 elected members, 6 are elected at each World Athletics Championships, so there is an election of 6 athletes every 2 years. The term of appointment is generally 4 years, commencing on the appointment by the Council after the election at the World Athletics Championships and expiring 4 years later. The maximum number of terms that an Athlete can serve is 3 (i.e., 12 years).

The importance of athletes to decision-making within World Athletics has been recognised in its governance reform in 2016. Since 2019, the Chairperson and one other member of the Athletes’ Commission are full voting members of the World Athletics Council. The Athletes currently holding these positions on Council are Renaud Lavillenie (FRA, as Chair) and Dame Valerie Adams (NZL, as Deputy Chair).

The current members of the Athletes' Commission are:

 

Renaud Lavillenie Renaud Lavillenie – Chair

France 🇫🇷

 

Dame Valerie Adams Dame Valerie Adams – Deputy Chair

New Zealand 🇳🇿

 

Kevin Borlee Kevin Borlée

Belgium 🇧🇪

 

Milcah Chemos Cheywa Milcah Chemos Cheywa

Kenya 🇰🇪

 

Lisanne de Witte Lisanne de Witte

The Netherlands 🇳🇱

 

Majd Eddin Ghazal Majd Eddin Ghazal

Syria 🇸🇾

 

Matthew Hughes Matthew Hughes

Canada 🇨🇦

 

Bernard Lagat Bernard Lagat

United States of America 🇺🇸

 

Ivet Lalova-Collio Ivet Lalova-Collio

Bulgaria 🇧🇬

 

Halimah Nakaayi Halimah Nakaayi

Uganda 🇺🇬

 

Aisha Praught-Leer Aisha Praught-Leer

Jamaica 🇯🇲

 

Olga Rypakova Olga Rypakova

Kazakhstan 🇰🇿

 

Anna Ryzhykova Anna Ryzhykova

Ukraine 🇺🇦

 

Akani Simbine Akani Simbine

South Africa 🇿🇦

 

Léa Sprunger Léa Sprunger

Switzerland 🇨🇭

 

Bingtian Su Bingtian Su

China 🇨🇳

 

Marie-Josée Ta Lou Marie-Josée Ta Lou

Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

 

Toshikazu Yamanishi Toshikazu Yamanishi

Japan 🇯🇵