Eight new International Olympic Committee (IOC) Members were elected during the proceedings of the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai on Tuesday. This comprises four women and four men.
The aim of this selection was to bolster female representation within the IOC, resulting in the current committee having a composition of 41.1% women. This reflects the IOC’s dedication to setting a precedent and encouraging greater gender diversity in its governance structures, as stated in their official announcement.
Notably, the esteemed Oscar-winning Hollywood actress Michelle Yeoh, recognized for her role as a Bond Girl, was one of the newly elected IOC Members. Her election took place during a ceremony in Mumbai, where a total of eight new members were proposed for the Olympic Committee.
Following a vote during the session, Yael Arad of Israel was elected to join the IOC membership. Arad, a retired judoka, holds the distinction of being Israel’s first-ever Olympic medalist, having won a silver medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. In November 2021, she assumed the role of President of the National Olympic Committee of Israel, making her the first woman to hold this prestigious position.
These elections have increased the total number of IOC Members to 107.
The IOC Session in Mumbai was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. These sessions serve as critical meetings for members of the International Olympic Committee, where pivotal decisions concerning the future of the Olympic Games are discussed and made.
(Inputs from ANI)