NOC Athletes’ Committee Participates in 12th International Athletes’ Forum in Lausanne

The UAE National Olympic Committee (NOC), represented by its Athletes’ Committee, participated in the 12th International Athletes’ Forum (IAF), held on 11–12 June in Lausanne, Switzerland. The delegation included Mohammed Al Nakhy and Aisha Jasem Al Ali, both members of the Athletes’ Committee.

The International Athletes’ Forum is the world’s largest gathering of athlete representatives, organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission. The forum convened over 400 participants to address key issues affecting athletes, amplify their voices, and exchange ideas to strengthen the support provided by their respective athletes’ commissions.

The programme featured a series of plenary sessions and workshops through which participants explored the range of support available from the IOC, Olympic Solidarity, and Olympic partners worldwide. Several sessions were moderated by Allyson Felix, an IOC Athletes’ Commission member and 11-time Olympic medallist, who led discussions with athletes benefiting from these support programmes.

The forum also included updates on major upcoming Olympic Games, including Milano Cortina 2026, Los Angeles 2028, the French Alps 2030, and Brisbane 2032. Members of the IOC Athletes’ Commission presented the latest developments for each edition, joined by representatives from Milano Cortina 2026 and Los Angeles 2028.

Throughout the forum, participants engaged in parallel skill-building workshops covering topics such as anti-doping, mental health and well-being, prevention of match manipulation, social media strategies for athletes’ commissions, sustainability, and effective commission governance.

On the sidelines of the forum, Mohammed Al Nakhy and Aisha Jasem Al Ali met with Kirsty Coventry, the incoming Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, who will officially assume her role on 23 June, coinciding with Olympic Day. They also held discussions with Emma Terho, the current Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.

Held every two years, the International Athletes’ Forum provides a platform for athletes’ commissions of International Federations, National Olympic Committees, Continental Associations, Olympic Games Organising Committees, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to convene and deliberate on issues of importance to athletes. The forum also equips participants with tailored resources to strengthen and advance their commissions.