The joint meeting between the IOC Athletes’ Commission and the IOC Executive Board elected American ice hockey Olympic champion Angela Ruggiero as the new Chair of the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission, and French canoe triple Olympic champion Tony Estanguet as Vice-Chair.

Angela Ruggiero, who was the current Vice-Chair of the Commission, replaces the outgoing Chair Claudia Bokel (GER), whose four-year term of office will come to an end at the conclusion of the Rio Olympic Games.

During Rio 2016, members of the IOC Athletes’ Commission will be present in the IOC Space located at the entrance to the Main Dining Hall in the Olympic Villages. They will serve as contact points for all athletes participating in the Games should they have any question, comments or concerns. Assisting athletes in numerous ways, the members will, for instance, help them with their career planning via the IOC’s Athletes Career Programme; spread the word about injury prevention thanks to the IOC’s innovative and free Get Set smartphone app; or introduce them to the Olympic Athletes’ Hub.

Another important task of the Commission is to help oversee the elections for the IOC Athletes’ Commission taking place during the Olympic Games. From 24 July until 17 August, all athletes participating in Rio 2016 are encouraged to vote and elect four of their peers from four different sports as representatives on the IOC Athletes’ Commission. Four seats are available, as current members Claudia Bokel, Dae Sung Moon, Alexander Popov and Yumilka Ruiz Luaces are finishing their terms of office after eight years.

The IOC Executive Board met with the IOC Athletes’ Commission on 1st August to discuss important topics ranging from the protection of clean athletes, athletes’ representation in National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Federations (IFs), to IOC Athlete Programmes, and the Commission’s mission during the Games and the elections currently underway.

“Congratulations to Angela Ruggiero on her successful election,” said President Bach. We will welcome her to the IOC Executive Board. I am sure that, with her determination and her great experience, she will make a huge contribution. The EB will be very happy to engage with her and all the members of the Athletes’ Commission for the sake of all the athletes. I would already like to thank Claudia Bokel for the great work she has done, and we offer her our full support in the important work she has to do in these final few weeks of her term of office.”

After the meeting, Angela Ruggiero said: “I am grateful for the trust my fellow IOC Athletes’ Commission members have put in me and my work. It is an important time within the Olympic Movement and our Commission has a great responsibility. I will make sure our voices aren’t just heard, but that they are effective and that we empower athletes around the world to do the same.”

Bokel, German épée fencer who started her career within the Olympic Movement as chair of the European Athletes’ Commission, congratulated Ruggiero, saying: “It has been such an honour to represent the athletes’ voice over the past eight years. I have had the pleasure to work with an amazing group of people within the IOC Athletes’ Commission and my colleagues on the IOC Executive Board. I have worked with Angela Ruggiero as the Vice-Chair over the past two years, and I am convinced she will continue to be the voice of the athletes within the IOC Executive Board and the Olympic Movement. I wish her and the IOC Athletes’ Commission the best of luck for the future.”