Allyson Felix and a refugee cyclist originally from Afghanistan joined the International Olympic Committee’s athletes’ commission on Thursday.
Felix is the most decorated female track and field athlete in Olympic history with 11 medals, including seven golds, and joins the commission after winning her record-extending 14th career world championship title in her farewell meet.
Also appointed was cyclist Masomah Ali Zada, who was born in Afghanistan and competed in the women’s cycling time trial on the IOC’s refugee Olympic team last year in Tokyo.
Ali Zada is now studying in France and will be the first refugee athlete on the commission. The other two new members are two-time Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee of Great Britain and Canadian athlete Oluseyi Smith, who competed in the Summer Olympics in track and the Winter Olympics in bobsled.