Athletics legend Paul Tergat has been re-elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and will serve a term of 8 years. The appointment was done on Wednesday 21st July at an Olympic congress in Tokyo, Japan. Tergat, who was first elected as a Member of the international sports body in 2013 in Buenos Aires, Argentina entered into his second term at the IOC during an extraordinary Olympic Games that was postponed a year ago due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The 52 year old former Olympian and World marathon record holder was also appointed by the IOC President, Thomas Bach as a Member of the IOC Tokyo Games Disciplinary Commission.
Octavian Morariu of Romania, Brazil’s Bernard Rajzman, Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski of the Philippines and Ethiopia’s Dagmawit Girmay Berhane were the other four members who got appointed as members of the IOC. Tergat is now part of a Disciplinary Commission that is usually established during Olympic games with an aim of handling all cases of alleged violations to the Olympic Charter or of any decision or applicable regulation issued by the IOC or any IF or NOC (including without limitation the Playbooks, the IOC Anti-Doping rules), which may occur during the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
Showing immense gratitude over the positions he was granted, Tergat expressed his profound delight for the opportunity to provide his services and passion for the Olympic Family, "I give my assurance of willingness and readiness to discharge the assigned responsibility with diligence, integrity, without fear or favour for the benefit of the desired goals and objectives of the Disciplinary Committee”, said Tergat, “It is a great honour for me, but most importantly, for my country Kenya, represented here by our gallant Team Kenya”, he added.
Tergat joins Charles Mukora who is the other Kenyan to have served as an IOC member. Former synchronized swimmer, 57 year old Nicole Hoevertsz was also elected as a vice-president of the global organisation, taking the place vacated by American Anita De Frantz who has served the maximum of two four-year terms.