The appointment of the double Olympian - she competed at Beijing 2008 and London 2012 - and gold medallist at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games was today confirmed by the AOC's secretary general Craig Phillips.

"We are confident Alana will make a great contribution to the Athletes' Commission," he said.

Last month O'Grady admitted to using the banned blood-booster Erythropoietin (EPO) before the 1998 Tour de France, three days after announcing his retirement from cycling.

O'Grady, winner of four Olympic medals, including a gold at Athens in 2004, was ultimately sacked from the body after missing the opportunity to resign voluntarily following his public admission.

Stuart O'Grady was sacked from the Athletes' Commission after he admitted using banned performance-enhancing drugs


Phillips contacted the 40-year-old athlete, who had twice worn the yellow jersey in the Tour de France, including in 1998, asking him to step down from the Commission, but he failed to respond.

Boyd now joins fellow pole vaulter Steve Hooker, gold medallist at the Beijing Olympics, rowers Kim Crow and James Tomkins, sprint canoer Ken Wallace, cyclist Anna Meares, gymnast Lauren Mitchell, diver Loudy Wiggins, and skiers Jenny Owens and Paul Murray on the AOC Athletes' Commission.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
July 2013: O'Grady begins to pay price for doping admission as AOC first to punish him
July 2013: Australian Olympic Committee President condemns O'Grady after EPO admission