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Allyson Felix wins athlete election at Paris Olympics to join IOC as a member

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Allyson Felix wins athlete election at Paris Olympics to join IOC as a member
News

News

Allyson Felix wins athlete election at Paris Olympics to join IOC as a member

2024-08-08 23:06 Last Updated At:23:10

PARIS (AP) — Seven-time Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix won an election Thursday to represent athletes at the IOC for the next eight years.

Three of the four newly elected athlete members are women, including Australian canoeist Jessica Fox, a double Olympic medalist in Paris, and Kim Bui, a member of the Germany gymnastic team who wore unitards at the Tokyo Olympics in a protest against the “sexualization” of female uniforms in the sport.

Fourth place in the vote by 6,576 athletes at the Paris Olympics went to Marcus Daniell, the New Zealand tennis player who won a bronze medal in men's doubles at Tokyo three years ago.

Felix, the now-retired United States sprinting great, topped the poll with support from 2,880 of her peers, the International Olympic Committee said.

Each of the athlete members gets an eight-year term on the International Olympic Committee. The big decisions they will be involved with include picking hosts for the 2036 and 2040 editions of the Summer Games.

“My biggest goal is to hear, and take some time to listen to what is going on,” Felix said.

Athletes are eligible as election candidates if they competed in the current or previous Olympics. Felix competed in her fifth Summer Games at Tokyo three years ago. She won medals on each trip to the Olympics, including a gold in the 4x400-meter relay in her farewell.

The winners from a slate of 29 candidates will replace four outgoing athlete members who all were elected at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva, who holds the women's pole vault world record, is among the outgoing members.

The IOC has a maximum of 115 members, which includes 16 athletes as well as members of royal families in Europe and Asia, a head of state — the Emir of Qatar — former heads of government, sports officials, former Olympic athletes and an Oscar-winning actor, Michelle Yeoh.

Felix and Fox already were IOC-appointed members of the Olympic athletes commission, where the American pushed for a progressive landmark at the Paris Games: A nursery at the athletes' village where parent-athletes could spend time with their children.

That project was one of her “wildest dreams” on getting involved in Olympic politics, Felix said Thursday, ”inspired by coming back to competition with my daughter."

“It moved very quickly. I thought, maybe LA and they were like ‘Maybe we can make this happen in Paris.’ That was really encouraging,” Felix said. The 38-year-old American is an advisor on athlete issues for organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Fox's election gives Australia an extra Olympic voice ahead of the Brisbane Summer Games in 2032, when her IOC term is set to expire.

The four new athlete members will swear the Olympic oath in Paris on Saturday.

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Olympian Allyson Felix speaks to the media during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Olympian Allyson Felix speaks to the media during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Jessica Fox of Australia celebrates with the gold medal during the medals ceremony for the women's canoe single finals at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Vaires-sur-Marne, France.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Jessica Fox of Australia celebrates with the gold medal during the medals ceremony for the women's canoe single finals at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Vaires-sur-Marne, France.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Olympian Allyson Felix speaks to the media, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Olympian Allyson Felix speaks to the media, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

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Wales will close stadium roof in the Six Nations for the next two years

2025-01-21 18:56 Last Updated At:19:01

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — The loudest stadium in the Six Nations just got louder after Wales was allowed on Tuesday to close the roof of Principality Stadium for the next two years.

The decision for all rugby internationals was made possible following a change of protocol, which was agreed to by the Six Nations. The previous rules needed both teams involved to agree to close the roof in Cardiff.

The move also came after both of Wales' home games in the upcoming tournament sold out all 74,000 tickets. The Wales-Ireland game on Feb. 22 became a sell-out on Tuesday, after the Wales-England game on March 15 was sold out before Christmas.

“There’s no better atmosphere than a packed-out Principality Stadium roaring Wales along,” Principality Stadium manager Mark Williams said in a statement. “When the roof is shut, the noise is intimidating. It’s fantastic for both the fans and players.”

In the 2015 Six Nations, tests revealed the England-Wales game — with the roof open — averaged 92 decibels, and passed 100 decibels when Wales scored a try.

A lawnmower can be 90 decibels. Health officials say a noise level above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss.

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

FILE - General view of Principality Stadium before the Six Nations rugby union international between Wales and France at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)

FILE - General view of Principality Stadium before the Six Nations rugby union international between Wales and France at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)

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