Thirteen athletes from Europe have put themselves forward to be part of the Athletes’ Commission with four positions to be voted on by the athlete representatives of the European National Olympic Committees in attendance at the EOC Athletes’ Forum in Italy.
Three summer athletes will be elected alongside one winter athlete, while the newly-formed commission will also vote for a new Chair in Rome with Gerd Kanter’s term ending following six years in his role.
Among the candidates of summer sports are three canoe sprinters. Ronald Rauhe, Roberts Akmens and Emanuel Silva. 42-year-old German sprinter Ronald Rauhe is one of the legends of canoeing, winning five Olympic medals, two of them gold, and adding 26 World Championships medals, European Games medal and 28 European Championships medals to his impressive medal count. Latvian canoe sprinter Roberts Akmens (27) has won silver medal at the 2022 European Championships in men’s K1 200 metres event, and was third at the 2023 European Games and 2021 World Championships in the same event. The third candidate from canoeing comes from Portugal. 37-year-old Emanuel Silva won silver medal at 2012 London Olympics in men’s K2 1000 metres event, had two medals from World Championships and seven medals from European Championships.
The mission of the Athletes’ Commission is to bring the voice of European athletes to the EOC and to ensure that their voice is heard and made to count, and EOC President Spyros Capralos praised the diversity of the athletes up for election and noted the importance of the Commission.
President Capralos said: “The commission’s aim is to represent all athletes. That is why is it is important to see such a wide-ranging selection of candidates. We have 13 athletes, standing from 13 National Athletes’ Commissions and from 10 different sports, and they come from all across Europe.
“I am confident that the soon-to-be elected members will ensure the EOC’s Athletes’ Commission is a diverse selection of people, truly representative of our continent.”
CANDIDATES
Summer athletes
1. Mr. Roberts Akmens (Latvia, canoeing)
2. Mr. Gogita Araknia (Georgia, karate)
3. Ms. Zorana Arunovic (Serbia, shooting)
4. Ms. Agnieszka Kobus-Zawojska (Poland, rowing)
5. Ms. Anastasiia Kozhenkova (Ukraine, rowing)
6. Mr. Daniele Lupo (Italy, beach volleyball)
7. Ms. Alexandra Miskovska (Slovakia, archery)
8. Mr. Rustam Orujov (Azerbaijan, judo)
9. Mr. Ronald Rauhe (Germany, canoeing)
10. Mr. Emanuel Silva (Portugal, canoeing)
11. Mr. Denes Varga (Hungary, water polo)
Winter athletes
1. Ms. Johanna Taliharm (Estonia, biathlon)
2. Mr. Alexander Payer (Austria, snowboarding)
Source: EOC
2.11.2023
