The IOC Executive Board has put forward Soraya Aghaei Haji Agha, a badminton athlete, for election as an IOC Member at the 145th IOC Session in Milan. In addition, the EB proposed several other governance moves: the re-election of 11 IOC Members who will reach the end of their current eight-year terms in 2026, extending the terms of two Members, changing the status of one Member, and electing two Honorary Members. These proposals align with the recommendations of the IOC Members Election Commission.
First female badminton Olympian from Iran proposed as IOC Member
Following the appointment of five new members to the IOC Athletes Commission earlier this month, Soraya Aghaei Haji Agha has been nominated for IOC Membership. She competed at Tokyo 2020, becoming Iran’s first female Olympic badminton player. Aghaei serves on the Iranian National Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission and has coached at the national level. An Ethics Commission background check was completed before the Paris 2024 Athletes Commission election, where Aghaei was a candidate.
Re-election of 11 IOC Members proposed
The EB will submit to the Session a proposal to re-elect 11 IOC Members whose eight-year terms would end in 2026, following their elections or re-elections in 2018. These Members would be extended for another eight years, with age-limit considerations applying at the end of their terms (80 for those elected before December 1999 and 70 for those elected after that date). The candidates include:
- HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of Qatar (Independent Individual, born 1980, elected 2002)
- HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein (Jordan, Independent Individual, born 1963, elected 2010)
- Mr Jiří Kejval (Czechia, Independent Individual, born 1967, elected 2018)
- Ms Samira Asghari (Afghanistan, Independent Individual, born 1994, elected 2018)
- Mrs Daina Gudzineviciute (Lithuania, Independent Individual, born 1965, elected 2018)
- Mr Camilo Pérez López Moreira (Paraguay, Independent Individual, born 1969, elected 2018)
- Mrs Felicite Rwemarika (Rwanda, Independent Individual, born 1958, elected 2018)
- Mr William Frederick Blick (Uganda, Independent Individual, born 1974, elected 2018)
- HRH Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck (Bhutan, Independent Individual, born 1984, elected 2018)
- Mr Andrew Parsons (Brazil, IOC membership linked to his role as President of the IPC, born 1977, elected 2018)
- Mr Morinari Watanabe (Japan, IOC membership linked to his role as President of a international federation, born 1959, elected 2018)
Extension of term of office for two IOC Members
The EB will propose extending the terms of two IOC Members by four years:
- Mr Anant Singh (South Africa, Independent Individual, born 1956, elected 2016) will reach the age limit of 70 at the end of 2026. Given his leadership roles across multiple IOC commissions, he would extend his term to 2030.
- Mr Karl Stoss (Austria, Independent Individual, born 1956, elected 2016) will also reach the age limit at the end of 2026. Because of his roles as Chair of the Olympic Programme Commission and the Future Host Commission for the Winter Games, he would also extend to 2030.
Change of status for one IOC Member
The EB endorsed changing the status of Mr Michael Mronz (Germany, born 1967), elected in 2023 as an Independent Individual Member under a special rule that allows up to seven members without nationality or NOC ties. With the resignation of the IOC Honorary President, Thomas Bach, there is currently no IOC representative for Germany. The EB will propose converting Mr Mronz’s membership to an Independent German national member to maintain Germany’s representation in the IOC.
Two IOC Members proposed as Honorary Members
The EB will propose electing two current Members as Honorary Members, effective 1 January 2027, as their terms expire:
- Syed Shahid Ali (Pakistan, Independent Individual, born 1946, elected 1996)
- Dr Robin E. Mitchell (Fiji, Independent Individual, born 1946, elected 1994)
The 145th IOC Session is scheduled for 3–4 February 2026 in Milan, just ahead of Milano Cortina 2026, which runs from 6 to 22 February.
Elections to the IOC Ethics Commission
The EB will recommend 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 has been serving as Interim Chair since June 2025. The EB will also propose four-year terms for:
- 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 EB will propose the four-year re-election of:
- Ms Auvita Rapilla, as an IOC Member
- Mr Pau Gasol, as an IOC Member and representative of the IOC Athletes Commission, through the end of his current term
In line with the IOC Ethics Commission’s recommendations, the EB approved amendments to the Statutes of the Commission and the Rules of Procedure governing cases of potential breaches of the IOC Code of Ethics. The updates reflect the new role of the Secretary of the IOC Ethics Commission, separated from the Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer as of 1 July 2025, with responsibilities divided accordingly. The revised Statutes and Rules of Procedure are part of the IOC Code of Ethics and are available here.
