Four swimmers are among the 32 athletes running for four seats on the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission next year at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Palestine’s Yazan Al Bawwab, Czech Republic’s Simona Kubova, Iceland’s Anton McKee, and Israel’s Yakov Toumarkin were nominated as candidates by their respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs) together with their Athletes’ Commissions.
Four candidates from four different sports will be elected to replace Hungarian swimmer Daniel Gyurta, German fencer Britta Heidemann, Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbaeva, Korean table tennis player Ryu Seung-min, who are finishing their eight-year terms as elected members of the Athletes’ Commission.
Al Bawwab is a 24-year-old Palestinian swimmer who competed at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. He owns seven national records in the LCM 100 free (52.01), LCM 50 back (26.72), LCM 100 back (57.10), LCM 50 fly (25.97), LCM 400 free relay (52.92 split), SCM 100 back (55.52), and SCM 50 fly (25.23). Outside of the pool, Al Bawwab is part of the IOC’s Young Leader program, a member of the Palestine NOC Athletes’ Commission, and the founder of the Palestinian Olympians Association.
Kubova is a 32-year-old Czech swimmer who competed at the past three Olympics as well as the past eight World Championships (LCM). She still owns an individual national record in the SCM 50 back (26.17) as well as three relay records in the LCM 400 free relay (55.50 split), SCM 200 free relay (25.06 leadoff), and SCM 200 medley relay (26.58 back leadoff). Outside of the pool, Kubova works as a physiotherapist with a master’s degree in economics and management.
McKee is a 29-year-old Icelandic swimmer who competed at the past three Olympics and six LCM World Championships dating back to 2011. McKee’s name is all over the national record books as he owns a whopping 16 Icelandic swimming standards. He graduated from the University of Alabama and spent three years as a senior consultant at Ernst & Young. McKee also has three years of experience as a board member on the Iceland NOC Athletes’ Commission.
Toumarkin is a 31-year-old Israeli swimmer who competed at the past three Olympics as well as LCM World Championships in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. He served as captain of Israel’s swimming team for seven years and has worked as head of trainers and instructors at the Wingate Institute for three years. Toumarkin still owns seven national records in backstroke, breaststroke, and IM events.
“It is very encouraging to see the strong interest from our peers who are putting themselves forward to be part of the IOC Athletes’ Commission,” IOC Athletes’ Commission chair Emma Terho said. “Such diverse representation from sports and NOCs means that athletes globally want their voice to be heard and recognize that the IOC AC is a place where they can actively represent and support their peers to succeed in their sporting and non-sporting careers. I am sure that those elected will contribute well to the representation of athletes and to addressing their needs and, on behalf of our Commission, I would like to wish all candidates all the best for the election.”
There can be a maximum of 23 members on the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission — 12 members directly elected by their peers and a maximum of 11 appointed members. Any elected members becomes eligible for election as a full IOC member.
McKee is a stud.