The first official meeting of the Commission this year, held on 17th January, began with the announcement of the results of the vote on the appointment of the Chairperson. The position of Chairperson will automatically grants Sydney Sy a seat as a member of the FIAS Executive Committee in accordance with the FIAS Statutes, where she will will represent the interests of all SAMBO athletes and be the voice of the Athletes Commission. 

The role of the Chairperson is to promote the Athletes Commission as a safe space for the athletes to come with their questions, express their ideas and thoughts, implement programmes that will benefit SAMBO athletes, and support and formulate creative ideas. 

"Coming from a country that has only recently started to develop the sport, it became my mission to represent SAMBO in my country, the Philippines, and the South East Asian region. I applied to be a member of the 2019 Athletes Commission because I was inspired by my predecessor, Mrs Laure Fournier - a great athlete, an eloquent speaker, and a fantastic mentor.   

SAMBO has not only given me great opportunities to develop my athletic career, but has also helped me grow as an individual. Now that I will be chairing this commission, it's my responsibility to create friendships and a safe space for my fellow athletes to speak up and express their thoughts so that the sport continues to grow and thrive through the voices of the athletes," said Sydney Sy. 

At the online meeting, the members of the Athletes' Commission congratulated the new Chairman, discussed their short and long term goals and objectives, and structured the timetable in the interest of achieving common goals to develop SAMBO for athletes and increase worldwide recognition.