Last week during its meeting in Beijing, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Executive Board, following a proposal by the IOC President Jacques Rogge, unanimously decided to nominate four people for election as IOC members.
The IOC Session will vote upon these
Last week during its meeting in Beijing, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Executive Board, following a proposal by the IOC President Jacques Rogge, unanimously decided to nominate four people for election as IOC members.
The IOC Session will vote upon these candidatures in Guatemala City in July.
Commenting on the decision, Jacques Rogge said: "these are four highly competent individuals who would undoubtedly make an excellent contribution to the IOC and its work around the world. The fact that half of the nominees are women, as was the case with the nominations made in 2006, reflects the IOC’s desire to lead by example as regards our policy of increasing the number of women in sports organisations.”
The four profiles:
HRH Princess Haya bint Al-Hussein (UAE), President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), became the first female athlete to represent Jordan in the equestrian discipline of show jumping at the age of 13, and competed at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. She is currently a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and the IOC Commission for Culture and Olympic Education.
Patrick Baumann (SUI), Secretary General of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), started basketball first as a player and then continued as a referee. He has been working for FIBA for 11 years now. He attended the Games of the last three Olympiads in his FIBA capacity and was a member of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the 2008 Olympic Games.
Andrés Botero (COL), President of the Columbian Olympic Committee, has won several national and international titles in waterskiing. At the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich he participated in water skiing as an official demonstration sport. For 10 years he has been President of the International Water Skiing Federation. In addition, he has been President of the Association of the IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF).
Rita Subowo (INA), President of the Indonesian Olympic Committee, was the first woman in her country to be elected to this position. For over a decade she has actively been involved in the sport of volleyball and developed and promoted the sport in Indonesia as well as in Asia. She is Executive Vice-President of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and Vice-President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
The IOC currently has 111 members. These IOC members represent the IOC in their respective countries, and not their countries within the IOC. They are men and women who have competed in the Olympic Games, are captains of industry or representatives from the worlds of sport and business. They are all volunteers.
IOC members meet once a year at a general assembly, or Session, the supreme body of the organisation. At these Sessions, the members take decisions concerning the institution and the Olympic Games, such as the choice of host cities of the Games, changes to the Olympic Charter, electing the IOC President, Vice-Presidents and Executive Board members, and co-opting new members.
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