Six members of the IAAF Athletes’ Commission have been appointed by IAAF Council

Monaco, Nov 26, 2015: The six new members who have been appointed to join the Athletes’ Commission for the period 2016-2019 are Fabiana Murer (BRA), Paula Radcliffe (GBR), Alina Talay (BLR), Ashton Eaton (USA), Michael Frater (JAM) and Ezekiel Kemboi (KEN).

A new chairperson will be decided by the commission when they hold their next meeting in January/February 2016 (date tbc.). Frank Fredericks, the out-going chairperson, will continue in an honorary capacity to assist the commission during the transition and in their general contact with the IAAF Council.

IAAF President Sebastian Coe commented: “I welcome the new members who joined the Athletes’ Commission today at a challenging time for our sport. Together our task is to respond to those challenges and rebuild trust in the integrity of competition supporting the aspirations and dreams of the athletes. I would like to express my great appreciation for the continued support and advice given by the commission and its chairperson Frank Fredericks.”

IAAF Athletes’ Commission Chairperson Frank Fredericks commented: “Our commission is composed of a mixture of current and recently retired international athletes from the six continental areas. Today’s six new members will be a huge asset adding to the wide range of experience and knowledge already in the commission. We are working together with Sebastian Coe, united in our resolve to clean up athletics for the sake of the vast majority of clean athletes.”

The IAAF Athletes’ Commission is made up of 18 members, 12 of whom are elected by their peers and six appointed by the IAAF.

The mandate structure of the commission is as follows:
– Six, confirmed for a four-year mandate during the Moscow 2013 IAAF World Championships, whose mandate ends on 31 December 2017;
– Six members (including the Chairperson) have been appointed by the IAAF in November 2011 and nominees shall be appointed on the commission again in November 2015;
– Six, elected during the Daegu 2011 IAAF World Championships, whose mandate shall end on 31 December 2015.

The existing Athletes’ Commission who these six members join:
2016-2019
Valerie Adams (NZL)
Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT)
Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS)
Andreas Thorkildsen (NOR)
Christian Olsson (SWE)
Koji Murofushi (JPN)
2013-2017
Hussain Taher Al Sabee (KSA)
Tommi Evilä (FIN)
Habiba Ghribi (TUN)
Jennifer Joyce (CAN)
Rozle Prezelj (SLO)
Matej Toth (SVK)
Biographies of the new members:
Fabiana Murer

The Brazilian pole vaulter won the world indoor title in 2010 and the world title in 2011. Before that, she had taken bronze at the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships and more recently she took silver at the IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015. She has set numerous South American records along the way, her best being 4.85m.

Paula Radcliffe
After winning the junior title in 1992, the British distance runner went on to win six more medals – including two golds – at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. But it was on the roads where she achieved her greatest successes. She twice broke the world marathon record, reducing it to 2:15:25, and recorded three victories at both the London and New York marathons. She won the world half marathon title in 2000, 2001 and 2003, and the world marathon title in 2005.

Alina Talay
The Belarusian sprint hurdler won her first international title in 2011 at the European Under-23 Championships. The following year she took bronze at the IAAF World Indoor Championships and gold at the European Championships. Following two European indoor titles, Talay took bronze at the IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015.

Ashton Eaton
The US combined events athlete first came to global attention in 2010 when he set a world indoor heptathlon record, which he has twice improved upon and currently stands at 6645. After getting the decathlon silver medal at the 2011 IAAF World Championships, he has since won decathlon gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics, as well as at the 2013 and 2015 IAAF World Championships. He also won the 2012 and 2014 world indoor heptathlon titles. Eaton has set two decathlon world records, including the current mark of 9045.

Michael Frater
The Jamaican sprinter took silver in the 100m at the 2005 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki. After finishing sixth in that event at the 2008 Olympics, Frater formed part of the victorious Jamaican 4x100m team, setting a world record of 37.10. He took further 4x100m gold medals at the 2009 and 2011 World Championships and the 2012 Olympics, setting two more world records in the process.

Ezekiel Kemboi
Kenyan steeplechaser Ezekiel Kemboi struck gold at the 2004 Olympics. After three successive silver medals at the IAAF World Championships, Kemboi won his first world title in 2009. He has since gone on to win three more world titles as well as the Olympic title in 2012. —- IAAF