Pinsent Becomes IOC Member

Olympic multi-medallist Matthew Pinsent of Great Britain was one of the ten new members officially elected to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) last week at the IOC session held in Salt Lake City.

Pinsent’s initial term lasts until the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.

The three time Olympic gold medallist was chosen to the IOC Athletes Commission last December to replace Jan Zelezny from the Czech Republic who had resigned in order to focus on his sports career.

Following the reforms adopted by the IOC in 1999, the structure of the Athletes Commission was altered to include 19 members: eight of which are athletes representing summer sports.  Pinsent had run for election to the Commission during the Sydney Games in 2000 and lost by one vote at the time.

Pinsent has announced that he will continue his rowing training and is aiming for a 2004 Olympic medal.