IAAF Athletes’ Commission voting to open on 1 August

London, July 31, 2017: Elections for six places on the IAAF Athletes Commission will run from 1-12 August with all athletes accredited for the IAAF World Championships London 2017 eligible to vote.

The IAAF Athletes’ Commission represents the link between athletes and the governing body, ensuring the voice of the athletes is heard and fed into decision-making processes.

Fifteen athletes have been nominated for this year’s elections. To be eligible for nomination, athletes must have participated in at least one of the past two editions of the IAAF World Championships or in the most recent Olympic Games or be a competitor at this year’s IAAF World Championships.

Candidates
Kim Collins (SKN)

Angel David Rodriguez (ESP)

Habiba Ghribi (TUN)

Inaki Gomez (CAN)

Periklis Iakovakis (GRE)

Adam Kszczot (POL)

Yipsi Moreno (CUB)

Marco Paulo Fortes (POR)

Rozle Prezelj (SLO)

Thomas Rohler (GER)

Olga Saladukha (UKR)

Ivana Spanovic (SRB)

Benita Willis (AUS)

Wang Yu (CHN)

Gyorgyi Zsivoczky-Farkas (HUN)

IAAF President Sebastian Coe commented: “The stature of the candidates who have put their names forward is impressive.

I have always believed athletes are central to the organisation and would like more involvement from them at every level of the sport and in all decision-making forums.

I added the Chair of the Athletes’ Commission to the IAAF Council early in my presidency which gives the commission substantial direct influence and Rozle Prezelj has offered excellent insight and advice to us during his time as Chair.”

Rozle Prezelj, Chairperson of the IAAF Athletes’ Commission, commented: “This election is being promoted under the banner, ‘It’s your sport.

Vote and make sure your voice is heard’, a slogan which couldn’t better sum up the purpose and work of the commission.

With a permanent seat on the IAAF Council, the Commission has real influence of the policies and direction of the sport.

We greatly value the feedback from our fellow athletes as that allows us to effectively represent their thoughts, concerns and suggestions.

Accordingly, we have increased our presence at all major IAAF competitions this year to directly reach out to athletes. We’ll continue this approach in London at both Congress, at the team hotels and at warm-up.”

The Athletes’ Commission is currently composed of 19 members, 12 of whom are elected by their fellow athletes and seven are appointed by IAAF Council.

Elections for half of the 12 elected positions take place at each edition of the biennial IAAF World Championships.

The names of the six elected members of the commission will be announced before the end of the championships and they will begin their mandate on 1 January 2018.

More information, including biographies of each nominee, can be found on the IAAF Athletes’ Commission elections website. —- IAAF