Saina Nehwal Now Member of IOC’s Athletes’ Commission

Badminton ace Saina Nehwal has been recently appointed as a member of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Athletes’ Commission. It is a rare honour for an Indian sportsperson.

IOC President Thomas Bach had sent Saina a letter on Monday, which states: “Following your candidature for the elections of the IOC Athletes’ Commission during the Olympic Games Rio 2016, it is with great pleasure to appoint you in consultation with the Chair, as Member of the Athletes’ Commission,” as reported by The Hindu.

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Former world number one Nehwal, who represented India thrice in the Olympics, was also recently conferred an honorary doctorate by SRM University, Chennai, on Sunday, thus fulfilling her father’s dream as he had always wanted her to be a doctor.

Saina, who suffered a bad knee injury during the Rio Olympics 2016 and a surgery in August, has just resumed practice. In an interview last month, she had mentioned that she is hoping to play in tournaments in November if everything went well.

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When asked about her appointment to the Olympic panel, Saina's elated father Harvir Singh said, “I have become very emotional. It is a matter of great privilege for us that they recognised her and asker her to be a part of the IOC. They thought that she could be of some use. She lost (a medal in the Olympics) because of the injury. We are proud of her.”

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The Athletes’ Commission is headed by Angela Ruggiero and has nine vice-presidents and 10 other members. The next meeting of the commission will be tabled on November 6.

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