The biggest-ever International Athletes’ Forum (IAF) is set to take place in Lausanne from 13 to 15 April 2019 with the International Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission (IOC AC) expecting over 300 delegates attending. The 2019 IAF will be the largest edition to date as all 206 National Olympic Committee ACs have been invited for the first time to the IAF and will join the International Federation ACs, WADA AC, Paris 2024 and Los Angeles ACs, the Continental Athletes’ Association and International Paralympic Committee ACs.

Delegates will have open discussions, the opportunity to pose questions to the IOC AC members and the IOC President, Thomas Bach, and have the chance to participate in plenary sessions, breakouts and panel discussions.

The IOC Athletes’ Commission Strategy, launched in November 2017 at the 8th IAF, will be among the subjects discussed, as well as the Athletes’ Declaration of Rights and Responsibilities, a document conceived at the same time and endorsed by the IOC Session in October 2018. Other topics include athlete support from the IOC, anti-doping, athletes’ safeguarding and mental health.

“The athlete world is complex, facing different needs and issues in many areas. The 9th International Athletes’ Forum will give us a chance to listen to each other, have constructive discussions on critical topics and learn collectively from our experiences,” said Kirsty Coventry, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission. “The athletes’ voices are invaluable, and having the NOC Athletes’ Commissions present, with all other participants, at this edition will ensure an even more diverse and effective exchange of views”.

The IAF will be an opportunity for athlete representatives to become more empowered to better run their AC and be more conscious about the influential role they can have on the sports movement.

Janice Lyn, IFMA Athlete’s Commission Chair, will be representing the IFMA Athletes at this Forum. She stated that she is very excited to attend such a large and important Athletes’ Forum in the Olympic Capital with so many influential athletes and delegates from the Highest Level of Sport. It is an opportunity for the IFMA Athletes’ Commission to learn and report back about the recent movements of the IOC AC and the updates on the Athletes’ Declaration of Rights, to listen and learn from His Excellency, Thomas Bach and learn about what strategies are available for athletes with respect to common topic areas such as anti-doping. It will also be an invaluable opportunity to listen, learn and come together from all walks of sports disciplines to discuss critical topics and reflect on how we can make our commission better suited for our athletes’ needs.

IFMA is proudly recognized by the IOC and the IFMA Athletes will continue to promote the Olympic Values, Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities and Muaythai as an IOC recognized sport.