Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) President Sarah Keane has been elected as the chair of the EOC's Gender Equality in Sport Commission.

It means an Irish official is in a key role following the departure of former EOC President Patrick Hickey.

Under Keane's leadership, the OCI hosted a two-day conference on "empowering women" last November.

Women's involvement in Irish sport has recently enjoyed a number of successes, with the hosting of the Women's Rugby World Cup in Dublin and Belfast.

Success has also been achieved by London 2012 Olympic champion boxer Katie Taylor and Annalise Murphy, who won silver in sailing at Rio 2016.

Keane was elected as the OCI President in February 2017, replacing Hickey in the position who stepped aside from his sporting roles.

Hickey was arrested during a dawn raid at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and briefly held in a high security prison.

He is not expected to have to return to Brazil to face trial on charges of ticket touting, money laundering and tax evasion, which he denies.

The OCI, under Keane’s leadership, deemed he would not be welcomed back into the organisation.

The EOC have also named Russia's Yury Yuriev as the chair of the Olympic Games Commission.

Romania's Mihai Claudiu Covaliu will head the Marketing and Communications Commission, while Estonia's Juri Tamm heads the European Union Commission.

Portugal's Jose Manuel Araujom, Israel's Gilad Lustig and Susanna Rahkamo of Germany have also taken up roles.

Araujom will head the European Youth Olympic Festival Commission, while Lustig will look after Environment and Sport for All.

Rahkamo will lead the Olympic Culture and Legacy Commission.

Germany's Dr Klaus Steinbach has been chosen to chair the Medical and Anti-Doping Commission.

The EOC said the Commissions confirm the subjects of interest the EOC will focus on for the next four years.

The organisation added that their Juridical Affairs Commission is currently being completed, with each of the bodies featuring members who have skills for their specific issue.

Each Commission will help to advise the ruling EOC Executive Committee.

A working group named Olympic Academies has also been established, which will be chaired by Gudrun Doll-Tepper of Germany.

The EOC Athletes' Commission, chaired by Gerd Kanter, was elected last October in Monte Carlo.

Its members will serve as athlete representatives in each of the new Commissions.