October 15, 2015 – The 7th IOC International Athletes’ Forum concluded on 10th October 2015 in Lausanne (SUI) with a set of recommendations aimed empowering Athletes’ Commissions at all levels, which will be presented to the IOC Executive Board in December.

The three-day event, which included discussions, plenary and practical sessions, covered a number of topics affecting athletes – from effective leadership and Athletes’ Commission management to athletes’ services and welfare, communication and experiences during Games time and beyond.

The Forum also included a practical session on the IOC’s latest initiatives for athletes, including the Olympic Athletes’ Hub and Integrity e-learning programme.

Maxime Laheurte, who represented the FIS Athletes’ Commission, commented: “The huge experience of the members of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and the IOC President Thomas Bach who joined the Forum himself made the various sessions very productive. The FIS Athletes’ Commission is going in the right direction. We need to continue on this path and use the excellent advice obtained from the Forum.”

The three-day gathering, which takes place every two years, saw the participation of over 100 athletes from 40 countries. They included Athletes’ Commission representatives from the IOC, International Federations, the International Paralympic Committee, Continental Associations and, for the first time, athlete representatives from the Organising Committees for the Olympic Games.