Yane Marques becomes President of Olympic Athletes Commission in Brazil

Brazil’s first Olympic Modern Pentathlon medallist, Yane Marques, has been chosen to represent her fellow Olympians on the Board of the Brazil Olympic Committee (COB).

Marques (BRA), who won bronze at the London 2012 Olympic Games, received 73% of the vote in a virtual election on 12 January and was duly elected President of the COB Athletes Commission.

The 37-year-old, who flew the flag for Brazil at the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, said: “The experience I've had over the last four years has added a lot to encouraging me to make the decision to run for president of CACOB.

“Having been a member of the Board of Directors, being in charge of the Executive Secretariat of Sports of Recife and having done the Advanced Course of Sports Management, added a lot to me as a manager and the career in which I am investing.

“Now, as president, I know my duties and responsibilities. I'm prepared for this challenge.”

Marques (BRA) has an excellent record of ambassadorial work on behalf of Modern Pentathlon and Olympic athletes generally. In 2018 she was recruited as an Athlete Role Model for the 3rd Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires (ARG).

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “I am very proud of Yane Marques after hearing of her election as President of CACOB, which underlines the high respect in which she is held and the trust and confidence that she established during her very successful sporting career as a Modern Pentathlon athlete.

“Yane truly represents the ideas and follows the philosophy of our creator Baron Pierre de Coubertin.”

Aya Medany OLY, President of the UIPM Athletes Committee and Member of the IOC Athletes Commission, added: “Yane is one of the strongest role models in our sport and I’m delighted to hear that her fellow Olympic athletes in Brazil have chosen her to lead them as President of the Athletes Commission.

“As an Olympic medallist and flagbearer, elite athlete and Youth Olympic Games ambassador, Yane is not only a leader for her fellow athletes in Brazil – she is also an inspiration for all women and girls worldwide who seek empowerment in the world of sport.

“On a personal level, Yane and I used to compete together and I’m so proud to call her a friend.”