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IOC Session re-elects a Vice-President, and elects three Executive Board members and a new IOC Member

  • Feb 5
  • 4 min read
IOC Session re-elects a Vice-President, and elects three Executive Board members and a new IOC Member
Image:  IOC/Quinton Meyer

International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice-President Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch (ESP) was re-elected for a second four-year term by the 145th IOC Session in Milan, Italy, just days ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The Session also elected three members of the IOC Executive Board (EB) - Mr Ingmar De Vos (BEL), Mr Jae Youl Kim (KOR) and Mr Neven Ilic (CHI). In addition, the Session elected Olympian Ms Soraya Aghaei Haji Agha (IRI) as a new IOC Member.


Following the election of Aghaei, the IOC membership during the period of the Games will stand at 107 Members, comprising 48 women and 59 men. This represents 44.9 per cent female membership, reflecting the IOC’s continued progress toward gender balance across the organisation. The membership also includes 43 Olympians - 25 women and 18 men - underscoring the strong athlete representation within the IOC.


First female badminton Olympian from Iran elected as new IOC Member


Ms Soraya Aghaei Haji Agha was elected as an IOC Member by the Session, following her appointment to the IOC AC in December 2025. Aghaei competed at Tokyo 2020, making history as the first female badminton player to represent Iran at the Olympic Games. She is also a member of the Athletes’ Commission of the Iranian National Olympic Committee (NOC) and has coached athletes at national level.


Elections to the IOC Executive Board


The Session held elections for the IOC Executive Board (EB). Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch (ESP) was re-elected for a second four-year term as an IOC Vice-President.


Three EB members were also elected:


These changes to the IOC EB will come into force only at the end of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.


Re-election of 11 IOC Members


The Session also took a series of other membership decisions during its meeting, including the re-election of 11 IOC Members who will reach the end of their eight-year terms in 2026, following their election or re-election in 2018. The Members were re-elected for an additional eight years, with the age limit being taken into consideration for the end of the terms (80 for Members elected before December 1999 and 70 for those elected after that date):


Extension of term of office for two IOC Members


The Session approved a four-year extension of the terms of office of two IOC Members.


  • Mr Anant Singh (South Africa, Independent Individual, born in 1956, elected in 2016) will reach the age limit, 70, at the end of 2026. In recognition of his contributions across multiple IOC commissions, a four-year extension was approved, in the same capacity, until the IOC Session in 2030.

  • Mr Karl Stoss (Austria, Independent Individual, born in 1956, elected in 2016) will also reach the age limit, 70, at the end of 2026. Because of his roles as Chair of the Olympic Programme Commission and the Future Host Commission for the Olympic Winter Games, a four-year extension was approved, in the same capacity, until the IOC Session in 2030.


Change of status for one IOC Member


The Session approved the change of status of IOC Member Mr Michael Mronz (Germany, born in 1967) to ensure Germany’s representation within the IOC.  Mr Mronz was elected in 2023 as an Independent Individual Member, pursuant to Rule 16.1.1.1 of the Olympic Charter, under the special category that allows for the election of up to seven Members whose membership is not linked to any nationality or NOC requirement.  


In view of the resignation as an IOC Member of the Honorary President, Mr Thomas Bach, there is currently no Member representing the IOC in Germany. The IOC Session therefore approved the change of Mr Mronz’s membership to that of an Independent Individual Member as a German national.


Elections to the IOC Ethics Commission


The Session elected HE Ms Patricia O’Brien as Chair of the IOC Ethics Commission for a four-year term. A former UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Ms O’Brien is an independent personality who is not an active, honorary, honour or former IOC Member. She has served as Interim Chair of the Commission since her appointment in June 2025.


The Session also elected two new Ethics Commission members for a four-year term:


  • Mr Karl Stoss, in his capacity as an IOC Member.

  • HE Mr Kim Won-Soo, former Korean Ambassador and former UN Under-Secretary-General, as an independent personality not linked to IOC membership.


Additionally, the Session re-elected two current members of the Commission:


  • Ms Auvita Rapilla, for a four-year term in her capacity as an IOC Member.

  • Mr Pau Gasol, in his capacity as an IOC Member and representative of the IOC AC, until the end of his current term.


In taking these membership decisions, the Session followed the recommendations of the IOC EB.

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