Oshonaike Misses Out as Paris 2024 Olympians Elect New Members to IOC Athletes’ Commission

Multiple Olympic Games participants and Nigeria’s Funke Oshonaike failed in her quest for a place in the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission.

In the election concluded during the week, the eight-time Nigerian participant in table tennis at the quadrennial games polled a massive 1266 but was not enough as the athletes competing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 chose to elect AllysOlympicon Felix (USA, Athletics), Kim Bui (Germany, Gymnastics), Jessica Fox (Australia, Canoe) and Marcus Daniell (New Zealand, Tennis) to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission (AC), for a term of eight years ending at the Olympic Games Brisbane 2032.

The new members will contribute to ensuring that the athletes’ voice remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement’s decisions. The IOC AC represents all athletes and supports them throughout their careers on and off the field of play.

Between 18 July and 6 August, 6,576 athletes, representing a participation rate of 61.96 per cent, cast their vote at Athlete365 House in the Olympic Villages in Paris, Châteauroux, Lille and Marseille, and the Olympic Village in Tahiti and selected football cities.

This is the highest participation rate at a Summer Games edition since London 2012.

The new members of the IOC AC are Allyson Felix, Athletics, USA – Five-time Olympian polled 2880 votes, followed by Kim Bui, Gymnastics, Germany – Three-time Olympian with 1721 votes while Jessica Fox, Canoe, Australia polled 1567 voted and Marcus Daniell, Tennis, New Zealand had 1563 to her credit.

In all 29 athletes representing 15 sports, 29 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and all five continents stood for election, reflecting the strong and diverse interest among athletes in representing their peers.

The four new members will join the Commission upon the completion of Paris 2024 and will serve eight-year terms that will end at the Olympic Games Brisbane 2032.

The IOC Athletes’ Commission plays a central role within the Olympic Movement, representing the global athlete voice within the IOC and beyond. The Commission is composed of a maximum of 23 members, 12 of whom are directly chosen through elections during the Olympic Summer and Winter Games, with a maximum of 11 appointed members to ensure a balance between genders, regions and sports.