The Commission will provide advice and act as a consultative body for both the TeamNI management and the Board of Commonwealth Games NI as preparations are made for Birmingham 2022.

The most experienced of the representatives is Ian McClure, bowls gold medallist in the fours at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, who began his Games career in 1994 and went on to compete at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 editions.

Mark Montgomery, a former Irish Open judo champion, was Northern Ireland’s flag-bearer at the Opening Ceremony of the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, where he competed in wrestling after being involved in the judo at the Manchester 2002 and Glasgow 2014 Games.

Fionnuala Toner has represented Netball NI at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and the World Cup, and is co-captain of Leeds Rhinos in this season’s Vitality Superleague.

Eileen Burns competed in the cycling at the 2018 Gold Coast Games and is preparing for her second Games in Birmingham, while triathlete Russell White is hoping to compete at the Commonwealth Games for a third consecutive time.

The importance of listening to the athletes’ voice was highlighted in the recently released Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland Strategic Plan which covers the period through to 2027.

Northern Ireland joins a growing list of Commonwealth nations and territories to formalise the advice provided by athletes, while providing an important mechanism for any concerns to be raised.

"We are delighted to have such a strong and varied group representing our athletes," said Robert McVeigh, chair of Commonwealth Games NI.

"They bring great experience and will undoubtedly provide useful input from the player’s perspective as we continue to grow as part of an athlete focused Commonwealth sporting movement."

Montgomery commented: "Having represented Northern Ireland at three games as an athlete I have always experienced support from Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland.

"However, additional engagement and the empowerment of athletes through this advisory panel is both forward thinking and progressive.

"The five of us are a really healthy mix, and we cover the demographics of the sports represented in Birmingham very well.

"Here the experienced opinions from individual and team sports through male and female voices will be shared, and I look forward to being in a position where we can all pass these on."

Toner added: "I am delighted and honoured to have been selected to be part of the Athlete Advisory Commission with a mix of athletes from a range of sporting backgrounds.

"I hope as a collective we can utilise our previous Games experience to provide a voice for the future NI Commonwealth Athletes as we work towards the Birmingham Games in July 2022."

McClure said: "I’m honoured to be nominated as part of the AAC and look forward to promoting the ‘voice of the athlete’, not only in my own sport of bowls but in all sports as we look forward with anticipation to Birmingham 2022."

Burns commented: "It is nice to be put forward and to be selected is even nicer, the cycling team whenever we go is quite small, so it is nice to represent cycling."

White said: "It will be a great privilege to give back just a bit more and be a voice just not for triathlon but all the athletes as a whole."