Basketballer Eric Boateng, short track speed skater Jon Eley, curler Claire Hamilton and badminton player Nathan Robertson, have all been elected to the Commission for the first time, joining sailor Sarah Gosling and javelin thrower Goldie Sayers after their re-election to the post.

Boateng is a member of Britain's basketball team and currently plys his trade in France, playing for Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez, while three-time Winter Olympian Eley is a double 5,000 metres relay bronze medallist at the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships.

Hamilton triumphed at the 2013 World Curling Championships before claiming an Olympic bronze medal at Sochi 2014. 

Retired Robertson is also an Olympic medallist, having won silver in the badminton mixed doubles at Athens 2004, and secured gold at the 2006 World Championships.

The athletes, who will serve a four-year term, teamed up with the rest of the group and newly elected chairmain Ben Hawes for the first time today.

"It's great to confirm the final make-up of the Commission for the next four years and we enjoyed a really productive first meeting," said Hawes.

"There's a nice mix of sports and experience in the Commission and I'm confident we can continue to ensure all athletes receive the right support from the BOA to enable them to deliver at the Olympic Games."

Short track speed skater Jon Eley is a new addition to the Athletes' Commission
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The Athletes' Commission is an advisory group set up to ensure the viewpoint and interests of all Team GB competitors are at the heart of everything the BOA does.

It aims to represent the interests of past, present and future Olympians by helping the BOA provide better services and support both during competition and after retirement.

"Since 2010, the Commission has been an integral part of the BOA in allowing us to have the athletes' voice at the very heart of everything we do," said Bill Sweeney, BOA chief executive.

"Their role has been hugely important in assisting us in the support we provide to the team and I'm looking forward to working with this new look Commission in the run up to Rio 2016 and beyond."

The Commission is made up of a mixture of past and present athletes from both summer and winter sports, who have competed at an Olympic Games in the past 12 years.

The group is 14 strong, including the chair and skeleton racer Adam Pengilly, who sits on the Commission as a member of the International Olympic Committee's equivalent body.

The other six members consist of rowers James Cracknell and Katherine Grainger, modern pentathlete Heather Fell, 200m sprinter Christian Malcolm, hockey player Kate Richardson-Walsh and diver Leon Taylor. 

"I am delighted to be on the BOA Athletes' Commission for the next four years," said Robertson.

"It's a real honour to be a part of such a select panel of Olympians and I am sure we will use our knowledge and experience to help aspiring Olympians to gain personal and team successes."

Hamilton added: "The Athletes' Commission represents one of many ways that the BOA supports its competitors.

"It was always encouraging to know that we had this support, and to know that I'll be part of this process through to Baku 2015 [European Games], Rio 2016 and even Pyeongchang in 2018 is a great feeling."

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