Sports umbrella organization NOC-NSF has nominated skater Ireen Wüst as a candidate for the athletes’ committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Wüst is one of the (former) athletes on the list of candidates published by the IOC on Saturday afternoon. During the Winter Games, in February 2022 in Beijing, the new members of the Athletes’ Committee will be elected. It concerns two places, and approximately 3,000 Olympic athletes can cast their vote.
If Wüst is elected, she will be the first Dutch person to become an IOC member through the athletes’ committee. In addition, she would become the first Dutch IOC member since Camiel Eurlings withdrew in 2018. Since then, the Netherlands has no longer been represented in one of the most important sports organizations in the world. Aruba, which belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands but is affiliated with the IOC under its own flag, does have one member: Nicole Hoevertsz. She has been one of the four vice-presidents since July this year.
Also read (from 2018): Will the Netherlands lose IOC seat and how bad would that be?
It is “high time” for another Dutchman to take a seat in the IOC, says Anneke van Zanen, chairman of NOC-NSF. “We show every Olympics, summer and winter, that we belong to the top countries.” The Netherlands finished seventh and fifth respectively in the medal rankings of Tokyo (2021) and Pyeongchang (2018). In that last edition, Wüst won gold in the 1,500 meters and silver in the 3,000 meters and team pursuit. With eleven Olympic medals, Wüst is the most successful Dutch Olympian ever. She won five gold medals in four consecutive Winter Games.
‘Super proud’
Van Zanen: „We are very proud that we can nominate such a fantastic athlete. Ireen has won everything you can think of under all circumstances, and she has experience in finding sponsors and starting up skating teams. From that experience, we think she can contribute a lot to the sport. She knows exactly what it takes to be able to exercise under ideal conditions.”
Wüst is currently in Inzell, Germany for a training camp to prepare for her fifth Winter Games. In order not to disrupt her preparation, she does not want to respond, let her agent know. She does say through the NOC-NSF, that issued a press release, that it is “an honour” that she has been nominated. Wüst: „Because of my participation in four Olympic Games, I know better than anyone what athletes need to perform at the highest level. As a member of the Athletes Committee, I want to make a difference and ensure that the voice of the athletes is heard clearly and that we can help the next generation of athletes realize their Olympic dream.”
In the past, other Dutch athletes, such as volleyball player Peter Blangé and rower Femke Dekker, have also applied for the IOC Athlete Committee, without success. Wust’s candidacy has a “good chance” according to Van Zanen. “We think she is the best candidate the IOC can get.”
New elections
The IOC has 115 members, of which 70 are permanent. The other 45 are linked to their position with world sports federations or national Olympic committees or are (former) athletes. In the latter case, it concerns members of the athletes’ committee, which is currently chaired by the Finnish former ice hockey player Emma Terho. The committee currently has seventeen members, and a number of places become available every Summer and Winter Games. This time it concerns two places, and approximately 3,000 Olympic athletes can vote. The members have a mandate of four years. During the Summer Games in Tokyo, Spanish basketball player Pau Gasol, Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini, Polish cyclist Maja Wloszczowska and Japanese fencer Yuki Ota were selected.
Sports umbrella organization NOC-NSF has nominated skater Ireen Wüst as a candidate for the athletes’ committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Wüst is one of the (former) athletes on the list of candidates published by the IOC on Saturday afternoon. During the Winter Games, in February 2022 in Beijing, the new members of the Athletes’ Committee will be elected. It concerns two places, and approximately 3,000 Olympic athletes can cast their vote.
If Wüst is elected, she will be the first Dutch person to become an IOC member through the athletes’ committee. In addition, she would become the first Dutch IOC member since Camiel Eurlings withdrew in 2018. Since then, the Netherlands has no longer been represented in one of the most important sports organizations in the world. Aruba, which belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands but is affiliated with the IOC under its own flag, does have one member: Nicole Hoevertsz. She has been one of the four vice-presidents since July this year.
Also read (from 2018): Will the Netherlands lose IOC seat and how bad would that be?
It is “high time” for another Dutchman to take a seat in the IOC, says Anneke van Zanen, chairman of NOC-NSF. “We show every Olympics, summer and winter, that we belong to the top countries.” The Netherlands finished seventh and fifth respectively in the medal rankings of Tokyo (2021) and Pyeongchang (2018). In that last edition, Wüst won gold in the 1,500 meters and silver in the 3,000 meters and team pursuit. With eleven Olympic medals, Wüst is the most successful Dutch Olympian ever. She won five gold medals in four consecutive Winter Games.
‘Super proud’
Van Zanen: „We are very proud that we can nominate such a fantastic athlete. Ireen has won everything you can think of under all circumstances, and she has experience in finding sponsors and starting up skating teams. From that experience, we think she can contribute a lot to the sport. She knows exactly what it takes to be able to exercise under ideal conditions.”
Wüst is currently in Inzell, Germany for a training camp to prepare for her fifth Winter Games. In order not to disrupt her preparation, she does not want to respond, let her agent know. She does say through the NOC-NSF, that issued a press release, that it is “an honour” that she has been nominated. Wüst: „Because of my participation in four Olympic Games, I know better than anyone what athletes need to perform at the highest level. As a member of the Athletes Committee, I want to make a difference and ensure that the voice of the athletes is heard clearly and that we can help the next generation of athletes realize their Olympic dream.”
In the past, other Dutch athletes, such as volleyball player Peter Blangé and rower Femke Dekker, have also applied for the IOC Athlete Committee, without success. Wust’s candidacy has a “good chance” according to Van Zanen. “We think she is the best candidate the IOC can get.”
New elections
The IOC has 115 members, of which 70 are permanent. The other 45 are linked to their position with world sports federations or national Olympic committees or are (former) athletes. In the latter case, it concerns members of the athletes’ committee, which is currently chaired by the Finnish former ice hockey player Emma Terho. The committee currently has seventeen members, and a number of places become available every Summer and Winter Games. This time it concerns two places, and approximately 3,000 Olympic athletes can vote. The members have a mandate of four years. During the Summer Games in Tokyo, Spanish basketball player Pau Gasol, Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini, Polish cyclist Maja Wloszczowska and Japanese fencer Yuki Ota were selected.
Sports umbrella organization NOC-NSF has nominated skater Ireen Wüst as a candidate for the athletes’ committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Wüst is one of the (former) athletes on the list of candidates published by the IOC on Saturday afternoon. During the Winter Games, in February 2022 in Beijing, the new members of the Athletes’ Committee will be elected. It concerns two places, and approximately 3,000 Olympic athletes can cast their vote.
If Wüst is elected, she will be the first Dutch person to become an IOC member through the athletes’ committee. In addition, she would become the first Dutch IOC member since Camiel Eurlings withdrew in 2018. Since then, the Netherlands has no longer been represented in one of the most important sports organizations in the world. Aruba, which belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands but is affiliated with the IOC under its own flag, does have one member: Nicole Hoevertsz. She has been one of the four vice-presidents since July this year.
Also read (from 2018): Will the Netherlands lose IOC seat and how bad would that be?
It is “high time” for another Dutchman to take a seat in the IOC, says Anneke van Zanen, chairman of NOC-NSF. “We show every Olympics, summer and winter, that we belong to the top countries.” The Netherlands finished seventh and fifth respectively in the medal rankings of Tokyo (2021) and Pyeongchang (2018). In that last edition, Wüst won gold in the 1,500 meters and silver in the 3,000 meters and team pursuit. With eleven Olympic medals, Wüst is the most successful Dutch Olympian ever. She won five gold medals in four consecutive Winter Games.
‘Super proud’
Van Zanen: „We are very proud that we can nominate such a fantastic athlete. Ireen has won everything you can think of under all circumstances, and she has experience in finding sponsors and starting up skating teams. From that experience, we think she can contribute a lot to the sport. She knows exactly what it takes to be able to exercise under ideal conditions.”
Wüst is currently in Inzell, Germany for a training camp to prepare for her fifth Winter Games. In order not to disrupt her preparation, she does not want to respond, let her agent know. She does say through the NOC-NSF, that issued a press release, that it is “an honour” that she has been nominated. Wüst: „Because of my participation in four Olympic Games, I know better than anyone what athletes need to perform at the highest level. As a member of the Athletes Committee, I want to make a difference and ensure that the voice of the athletes is heard clearly and that we can help the next generation of athletes realize their Olympic dream.”
In the past, other Dutch athletes, such as volleyball player Peter Blangé and rower Femke Dekker, have also applied for the IOC Athlete Committee, without success. Wust’s candidacy has a “good chance” according to Van Zanen. “We think she is the best candidate the IOC can get.”
New elections
The IOC has 115 members, of which 70 are permanent. The other 45 are linked to their position with world sports federations or national Olympic committees or are (former) athletes. In the latter case, it concerns members of the athletes’ committee, which is currently chaired by the Finnish former ice hockey player Emma Terho. The committee currently has seventeen members, and a number of places become available every Summer and Winter Games. This time it concerns two places, and approximately 3,000 Olympic athletes can vote. The members have a mandate of four years. During the Summer Games in Tokyo, Spanish basketball player Pau Gasol, Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini, Polish cyclist Maja Wloszczowska and Japanese fencer Yuki Ota were selected.
Sports umbrella organization NOC-NSF has nominated skater Ireen Wüst as a candidate for the athletes’ committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Wüst is one of the (former) athletes on the list of candidates published by the IOC on Saturday afternoon. During the Winter Games, in February 2022 in Beijing, the new members of the Athletes’ Committee will be elected. It concerns two places, and approximately 3,000 Olympic athletes can cast their vote.
If Wüst is elected, she will be the first Dutch person to become an IOC member through the athletes’ committee. In addition, she would become the first Dutch IOC member since Camiel Eurlings withdrew in 2018. Since then, the Netherlands has no longer been represented in one of the most important sports organizations in the world. Aruba, which belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands but is affiliated with the IOC under its own flag, does have one member: Nicole Hoevertsz. She has been one of the four vice-presidents since July this year.
Also read (from 2018): Will the Netherlands lose IOC seat and how bad would that be?
It is “high time” for another Dutchman to take a seat in the IOC, says Anneke van Zanen, chairman of NOC-NSF. “We show every Olympics, summer and winter, that we belong to the top countries.” The Netherlands finished seventh and fifth respectively in the medal rankings of Tokyo (2021) and Pyeongchang (2018). In that last edition, Wüst won gold in the 1,500 meters and silver in the 3,000 meters and team pursuit. With eleven Olympic medals, Wüst is the most successful Dutch Olympian ever. She won five gold medals in four consecutive Winter Games.
‘Super proud’
Van Zanen: „We are very proud that we can nominate such a fantastic athlete. Ireen has won everything you can think of under all circumstances, and she has experience in finding sponsors and starting up skating teams. From that experience, we think she can contribute a lot to the sport. She knows exactly what it takes to be able to exercise under ideal conditions.”
Wüst is currently in Inzell, Germany for a training camp to prepare for her fifth Winter Games. In order not to disrupt her preparation, she does not want to respond, let her agent know. She does say through the NOC-NSF, that issued a press release, that it is “an honour” that she has been nominated. Wüst: „Because of my participation in four Olympic Games, I know better than anyone what athletes need to perform at the highest level. As a member of the Athletes Committee, I want to make a difference and ensure that the voice of the athletes is heard clearly and that we can help the next generation of athletes realize their Olympic dream.”
In the past, other Dutch athletes, such as volleyball player Peter Blangé and rower Femke Dekker, have also applied for the IOC Athlete Committee, without success. Wust’s candidacy has a “good chance” according to Van Zanen. “We think she is the best candidate the IOC can get.”
New elections
The IOC has 115 members, of which 70 are permanent. The other 45 are linked to their position with world sports federations or national Olympic committees or are (former) athletes. In the latter case, it concerns members of the athletes’ committee, which is currently chaired by the Finnish former ice hockey player Emma Terho. The committee currently has seventeen members, and a number of places become available every Summer and Winter Games. This time it concerns two places, and approximately 3,000 Olympic athletes can vote. The members have a mandate of four years. During the Summer Games in Tokyo, Spanish basketball player Pau Gasol, Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini, Polish cyclist Maja Wloszczowska and Japanese fencer Yuki Ota were selected.