OCI react to Sydney fallout

After the clamour to apportion blame following Irish performances at the Sydney Olympic Games, the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) yesterday announced details of the formation of an Olympic Athletes Commission designed to broaden communications between current active athletes and the OCI, and to serve as a source of opinion and advice to the OCI executive.

The move follows that of 53 other nations which have athletes commissions including Britain, Australia and New Zealand. There will be 10 members on the Irish commission, all of whom must have competed at an Olympic Games within the last 10 years.

The new commission will be formed on Thursday, November 30th at a meeting in the Edmund Burke Hall in Trinity College, Dublin, when the chairperson, vice-chairperson and secretary will be elected along with seven commission members drawn from sports represented on the current Olympic programme.

According to an OCI spokesman, all eligible athletes on their data base will be contacted and if necessary advertisements will be taken out. Given that many athletes now live in the United States, the November 30th date appears to be extremely tight. Voting by proxy, however, will be acceptable.

The commission will meet a minimum of four times a year and discuss issues which directly relate to athletes and their preparations for the Olympic games. Issues of funding, however, will clearly depend on the Irish Sports Council.