Icho is one of three Olympic gold medallists who will serve on the Commission, part of the world governing body's commitment to involve athletes in future decision making which helped it retain its place on the Games programme having originally been recommended for removal after Rio 2016. 

The 29-year-old Icho, winner of the 63 kilogram gold medal at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012 as well as eight world titles, is joined by Canada's Carol Huynh and Iran's Hamid Soryan Reihanpour.

Huynh, 32, won gold in the 48kg at Beijing 2008 and a silver at London 2012, while 28-year-old Reihanpour made history at last year's Olympics when he became the first Iranian to claim the title in the 55kg Greco-Roman event.

Iran's Hamid Soryan Reihanpour, celebrating his victory at London 2012 in the Greco-Roman 55kg, is one of three Olympic champions elected to the new FILA Athletes Commission

But it was Greece's 21-year-old Maria Prevolaraki, who competed in the 55kg at London 2012, who topped the polls with 101 votes at the election which was conducted during the World Championships currently taking place in Budapest.

Each athlete who made weight at the Championships could nominate up to seven wrestlers for the Commission.

Huynh was second with 100 votes while third was America's 28-year-old Jake Herbert, who competed in the 84kg at London 2012, polled 97 with Icho earning 91.

France's 34-year-old Christophe Guenot, a bronze medallist in the 74kg Greco Roman at Beijing 2008, got 87 votes and Reihanpour 81.

The new Commission will be completed by Hungary's 26-year-old Tamás Lőrincz, the London 2012 66kg Greco Roman silver medallist, who earned 80 votes.

One of the athletes will be elected by the members to serve on FILA's ruling Bureau and to serve as chairman of the Commission.

FILA President Nenad Lalovic has promised several reforms after wrestling kept its place on the Olympic programme in 2020, including establishing an Athletes' Commission

FILA President Nenad Lalovic is keen to implement the changes he promised to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during its Session earlier this month in Buenos Aires, where wrestling beat baseball-softball and squash to win a place in the 2020 Olympics. 

"This is our new direction that we promised the IOC when we made our case to stay in the Olympic Games," said Lalovic.

"We want our current athletes involved in what we do, how we do things and to be a big part of the future that we have as an excellent organisation."

The Athlete's Commission is one of 17 that are being named by FILA.

The others will be announced in the coming weeks as they are finalised.

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