The former swimmers will serve as representatives of the U.S. Olympians and Paralympians Association (USOPA) on the USOPC Board.

The USOPC say the terms of service will be staggered, with one seat held on a four-year term while the other carries a two-year term.

De Varona was elected on a four-year term, which is due to conclude at the end of 2024.

Naber’s two-year term is scheduled to end on December 31 in 2022.

De Varona competed at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome as a 13-year-old.

She qualified again for Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games, winning gold in both the women’s 400 metres individual medal and 4x100m freestyle relay.

Naber earned five medals at the Montreal 1976 Olympic Games, including four gold.

He triumphed in the men’s 100m and 200m backstroke events, as well as being part of the victorious 4x100m medley and 4x200m freestyle relay squads.

Naber was also a silver medallist in the men’s 200m freestyle event.

Four candidates stood in the election, with de Varona and Naber facing competition from Los Angeles 1984 women’s 100m hurdles champion Benita Fitzgerald-Mosley and Rich Kenah, who competed in the men’s 800m at Sydney 2000.

Olympic swimmer Anne Warner Cribbs had been deemed ineligible for the election by the USOPC Ethics Panel.

According to the Orange County Register, Cribbs had been found to have misrepresented herself as an Olympic gold medallist.

Cribbs swam in the preliminary rounds of the women’s 4×100 medley relay at Rome 1960 that eventually won gold, but did not swim in the final.

Medals were only awarded to swimmers who competed in the preliminary rounds from Barcelona 1992 onwards.

Cribbs ineligibility had led to the election being re-run.

Elections for the two USOPA positions on the USOPC Board were held for the first time.

Previously the USOPC Athletes’ Advisory Council, National Governing Body Council and US Olympians and Paralympians Association were only able to propose candidates for the Board positions.

The USOPC last year introduced governance reforms, which included ensuring there was direct election and re-election of athlete and national governing body representatives.

Increasing athlete representation was one of the key recommendations made to the USOPC by the Borders Commission, with the aim of giving them a greater role within the governance of the organisation and their respective sports.

The governance reforms, approved last year, will see an increase in athlete representation on the USOPC Board from three to five members.

This will meet the recommended threshold of 33 per cent.

The new USOPC Board will be confirmed in full following the current Board’s last meeting of 2020, due to take place on December 17 and 18.