British triathlon great Alistair Brownlee won gold in London and Rio, and he will now continue to influence the Olympic movement after being voted onto the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission.
The 34-year-old Yorkshireman was selected this week along with three other athletes – United States track star Allyson Felix, Canadian sprinter and bobsleigh Olympian Oluyesi Smith and Afghan road cyclist Masomah Ali Zada.
The quartet join the Commission with the potential to serve for a term of up to eight years. They will now strive to represent the voices of athletes within the Olympic movement.
Brownlee delighted at IOC role
A delighted Brownlee reflected on his appointment by detailing how watching the Olympics as a youngster inspired him to become a Games great.
“It’s an honour to be appointed to the IOC Athletes’ Commission. I am a product of the Olympic movement; watching the first ever Olympic Triathlon in Sydney inspired me to dream and work hard towards those dreams.
“It will be a privilege to represent the athlete’s of the Olympic movement and play a small part in helping to realise the dream’s of more young people.”
IOC chief Bach on Brownlee
Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said: “We are absolutely delighted to have the voice of one of our most successful and charismatic athletes, Alistair Brownlee, joining the Athletes’ Commission.”
World Triathlon President Marisol Casado added: “His voice, and the voice of all triathletes around the world, will be taken even more into consideration, and is again the proof that our sport has a strong presence in the Olympic movement.
“Our most sincere congratulations, from myself and on behalf of all the Triathlon Family, to Alistair for this excellent achievement. I’m sure his commitment with the Movement will be extraordinary and will help us all to continue growing,” she said.
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