Saina Nehwal to contest IOC Athletes’ Commission elections

"The IOC Executive Board today approved the candidatures of 24 athletes for the IOC Athletes' Commission elections, which will be held during the Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro 2016 next August," the IOC said in a statement.

All athletes participating in the 2016 Olympic Games will be eligible to vote in the elections. After approval by the IOC Session, the four elected athletes will become IOC members for an eight-year term of office.

"Candidates come from all continents and are representing 14 different sports with an equal number of men and women. This great outcome owes much to the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms which have put a greater focus on athletes and the central role they have to play within the IOC and the Olympic Movement," IOC said in a statement.

"Four seats on the Commission will become available in 2016, with current members Claudia Bokel, Dae Sung Moon, Alexander Popov and Yumilka Ruiz Luaces finishing their terms of office next summer," IOC said in a statement.

The other athletes in the fray for the posts include stars like pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia, Estonia's 2008 Beijing Olympics discus throw gold-medallist Gerd Kanter and former hammer throw world champion Koji Murofushi of Japan.