Nine athletes have been named on the Olympic Council of Ireland's new Athlete Commission.
The group, which comprises of six men and three women from the worlds of both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games will be on the committee for the period 2017-20.
The role of the Commission will be to advise the OCI Executive Committee on all athlete related matters and "to ensure that the voice of Irish athletes is heard in all future OCI decision making", the Olympic Council have revealed.
Six nominations for the Commission were received from OCI Members. These were as follows:
- Derval O’Rourke (Athletics)
- Judy Reynolds (Equestrian)
- David Harte (Hockey)
- Shane O’Connor (Snowsports)
- Melanie Nocher (Swimming)
- Gavin Noble (Triathlon)
The OCI Executive Board met on June 7th 2017 and agreed that the Athlete Commission would benefit from all six candidates who represent a mix of summer individual/team and winter sports and so all six were appointed. The OCI Executive Board also appointed three additional Olympians to the Commission:
- David Gillick (Athletics)
- James Nolan (Athletics)
- Kenneth Egan (Boxing).
The nine-person Commission will have its first meeting later this month at which it will select a chairperson who will become a member of OCI Executive Committee.
Speaking today, OCI President Sarah Keane said; "The new Athletes Commission announced today will have a very important role in the future decision making of the OCI. The OCI Executive Committee is very grateful that so many talented Olympians have agreed to make themselves available to participate in this Commission and to speak on behalf of all Irish Olympians."
"We want to ensure that athletes have a strong voice at the OCI board table and this Commission will allow that to happen. I look forward to working with the Commission over the coming four years."
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