NOCK boss Tergat lands IOC appointment

National Olympic Committee of Kenya President, Paul Tergat has been appointed as member of the International Olympic Committee’s newly created Future Host Commissions for future Olympic Games.

The Commissions will advise and provide recommendations to the IOC Executive Board (EB) in regard to future hosts for Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games (summer and winter).  Tergat, himself an IOC Member, will serve under Future Olympic Summer Games Host Commission chaired by Kristin Kloster Aasen of Norway and he will be representing the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) in the broad-based Commission, according to a communication from the IOC Executive Board.

The Commissions were formed following the IOC Session decision for a more targeted, streamlined and flexible approach, in which flexibility applies to the elections of Future Games Host. Through the approach, permanent dialogues will be held with interested hosts, or with potential hosts where the IOC may want to create interest. The Commission will have the mission to promote, monitor and oversee this interest from them and report to the IOC EB.

The IOC President, Thomas Bach, while congratulating Tergat on his appointment noted, “There will be a two-speed progression for the work of the Commissions. The Winter Commissions will start immediately, as the priority at this moment is the discussions about the Winter Youth Olympic  Games 2024 and the Olympic Winter Games 2030,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “The Summer Commission has slightly more time to enter into a dialogue with the number of various interested cities, regions and countries we have already.”

Paul Tergat, Kenya’s NOCK President, elected in 2018 became an independent IOC member at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires in September 2013. He is also currently a member of the IOC Coordination for the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2022, among other Commissions.

Tergat is a former athlete with impressive performances at the track, cross country and road racing, including holding world records in the full and half marathons, 10,000m and five-time straight world cross country titles.

He is an Ambassador Against Hunger with the United Nations World food Programme (WFP).