The IOC Executive Board has put forward Soraya Aghaei Haji Agha, a badminton player, as a candidate for IOC Membership at the 145th IOC Session in Milan. The Board also recommended several other governance actions: re-electing 11 IOC Members who will reach the end of their eight-year terms in 2026, extending the terms of two Members, changing the status of one Member, and electing two Honorary Members. These steps align with the recommendations of the IOC Members Election Commission.
First Iranian female Olympian badminton player proposed for IOC Membership
After five new members joined the IOC Athletes’ Commission earlier this month, Soraya Aghaei Haji Agha has been proposed for IOC Membership. She represented Iran at Tokyo 2020, becoming the first Iranian woman badminton player to compete in the Olympic Games. Aghaei currently serves on Iran’s NOC 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 suggested
The EB intends to present a proposal at the Session to re-elect 11 IOC Members whose eight-year terms conclude in 2026. If re-elected, they would serve another eight years, with age limits taken into account (70 for those elected after December 1999 and 80 for those elected earlier).
- HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani (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, member by virtue of his role as IPC President, born 1977, elected 2018)
- Mr Morinari Watanabe (Japan, member by virtue of his role as President of an International Federation, born 1959, elected 2018)
Extension of two Members’ terms
The EB will also seek a four-year extension for two IOC Members:
- 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 extensive work across IOC commissions, he will be extended in the same capacity until 2030.
- Mr Karl Stoss (Austria, Independent Individual, born 1956, elected 2016) will also reach 70 at the end of 2026. Because he chairs the Olympic Programme Commission and the Future Host Commission for the Olympic Winter Games, he will similarly be extended through 2030 in the same role.
Change of status for one Member
The EB also proposed changing the status of Mr Michael Mronz (Germany, born 1967) to ensure Germany’s representation within the IOC. Elected in 2023 as an Independent Individual Member under the Olympic Charter rule that allows up to seven Members whose membership isn’t tied to a specific nationality, Mronz would switch to an Independent National Member status because there is currently no IOC Member representing Germany following Thomas Bach’s resignation as Honorary President.
Two new Honorary Members
The EB will propose that two current Members be made Honorary Members effective January 1, 2027, as their terms end:
- 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 February 3–4, 2026, in Milan, just ahead of Milano Cortina 2026, which runs from February 6–22, 2026.
Elections to the IOC Ethics Commission
The EB will recommend Patricia O’Brien for the Chair of the IOC Ethics Commission for a four-year term. O’Brien, a former UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and an independent figure not currently serving as an IOC Member, has been Interim Chair since June 2025. The EB also plans to elect two additional 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 recommends re-electing two current members:
- Ms Auvita Rapilla, for a four-year term 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 guidance, the EB approved updates to the Commission’s Statutes and the Rules of Procedure governing potential Code of Ethics breaches. The revisions reflect the split of responsibilities starting July 1, 2025, separating the role of Secretary of the IOC Ethics Commission from the Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer. The updated Statutes and Rules of Procedure are part of the IOC Code of Ethics and the revised document can be viewed here.
