‘Empress of golf’ Park In-bi (35) has been virtually decided as a Korean candidate for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes Commission election to be held during the Paris Olympics next year.
The Korea Sports Association held the second meeting of elders at a hotel in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 14th and announced that it recommended Park In-bi as a domestic candidate for the IOC Athletes Commission election. In a closed interview with Jin Jong-oh (44, shooting), Kim Yeon-kyung (35, volleyball), Lee Dae-hoon (31, taekwondo), and Kim So-young (31, badminton), Park In-bi was known to have unanimously obtained the highest score.
Evaluation items included performance in international competitions such as the Olympics, language proficiency, and ability to perform international activities. Initially, Oh Jin-hyeok (42, archery) also expressed his intention to take on the challenge, but withdrew from the interview due to his participation in field training for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games to be held in September. It’s been dealt with.메이저놀이터
It is not a final decision. It is still in the ‘internal affairs’ stage, and the final procedure remains. On the 16th and 17th, it must pass the resolution of the Athletes’ Committee of the Sports Association. If a majority of the votes are obtained, the Sports Association can notify Inbi Park as a candidate for the Athletes Commission election to the IOC at the end of this month. Athletes who have competed in the Olympic Games (medalists or those who have competed three or more times) usually run as candidates for the IOC Athletes Commission, who will exercise the same rights as regular IOC members and have equal responsibilities and act as a bridge between the IOC and the athletes.
Inbi Park’s career is very colorful. Her 21 victories on the LPGA Tour, including the four major tournaments, and her 4th place in all-time accumulated money ($18.26 million), she was also inducted into the Hall of Fame. She even achieved her first ever ‘Golden Slam’ by winning gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Of course, candidate registration does not guarantee election to the Athletes Commission. You have to capture the hearts of the Olympians. We need to get as many votes as possible from athletes participating in the Paris Olympics. There are two previous IOC members from Korea: Taekwondo gold medalist Moon Dae-seong, elected at the 2008 Beijing Games, and table tennis gold medalist Yoo Seung-min (President of the Korea Table Tennis Association), who was elected at the 2016 Rio Games. Commissioner Yoo’s eight-year term will end after the Paris Olympics.
Both Moon and Yoo actively campaigned in past elections. Park In-bi, who has a quiet personality and fluent language skills, also pledged to actively engage in campaign activities. “Commissioner Yu said he lost 5kg by walking 450km during the campaign, but I will walk 500km and lose 10kg,” is his entry ticket.
Some in the sports world are concerned that golf is an unfamiliar sport in the Olympics. However, it cannot be denied that it is currently the most popular sport. In the election during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Pau Gasol, who was active in the NBA, took first place in the vote. Park In-bi, who participated in the Olympics twice (Rio and Tokyo), emphasized this point and said, “The advantages of popular sports are also great.”
The Sports Association, which was set up with the goal of retaining the IOC Athletes’ Commission, is planning to support in various ways, including the formation of a dedicated task force to help Park In-bi’s election activities until the Paris Olympics.