OFI announces fully gender balanced Board following Extraordinary Meeting

The Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) has announced an historic first for the organisation after its first fully gender balanced Board was elected at today's Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).

At the virtual EGM, seven candidates were elected with the results meaning the new Executive Committee Board now features six male and six female representatives, a first for the OFI since its founding in 1920, when it was known as initially the Irish Olympic Council and later the Olympic Council of Ireland.

Four members of the Board were elected unopposed - President Sarah Keane, first vice-president Colm Barrington, second vice-president Robert Norwood and honorary general secretary Sarah O'Shea.

Nine candidates contested seven places on the Executive Committee with all positions filled by a straight count.

The new members of the Executive Committee that were elected are Moira Aston, Michelle Carpenter, Georgina Drumm, Ciaran Gallagher, Linda Morgan, PJ Nolan and Lochlann Walsh.

Chair of the Athletes’ Commission Shane O’Connor completes the Executive Committee line-up.

The results of today's elections mean the OFI has surpassed the motion it agreed in September to ensure a minimum of 40 per cent of either men or women must be on the Board.

Sarah Keane is set to continue as OFI President until 2024 after being elected unopposed at today's virtual EGM ©OFI

Other business conducted at the EGM included three member federations being approved as full OFI members - the Irish Luge Federation, the DanceSport Federation of Ireland and Irish Surfing.

A further federation was also approved as an associate OFI member - Kickboxing Ireland.

President Keane, who is also the chief executive of Swim Ireland is now due to remain in post through until 2024.

Speaking after the EGM Keane said: "Tonight we are delighted to welcome three new members to our Executive Committee, and I would like to thank the outgoing members – Billy Kennedy, Robert Johnson, Darren O’Neill and Denis Toomey, who have contributed greatly to the organisation over the past three years.

"We are in the middle of our 2018 to 2028 strategy, and whilst a significant amount has been done and achieved so far, there is more to do, and we are very ambitious for Team Ireland and for Irish Olympic sport.

"I would also like to welcome our four new member federations, which represent some of the exciting and diverse sports that are on the Olympic agenda.

"We look forward to working with them and with all of our 42 member federations over the coming years."