TEHRAN – Iran national volleyball team captain has been confirmed as an official candidate for membership in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission.

The election will take place during the Tokyo Olympic Games next summer, with all the athletes partaking having the right to vote.

Commenting on the announcement, Kirsty Coventry, the current Chair of the IOC AC, said: “It is great to see such a fantastic response from the athlete community with the interest we have received from athletes around the world in this election. I am impressed by the diverse representation of sports and countries, and this demonstrates how much athletes care, and want to share their voice and play a central role in the Olympic Movement. It is exciting to have such a high caliber of candidates, and I wish them all the very best of luck.”

The athletes elected by their peers during the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will replace the following members, whose term of office will expire at the end of these Games: IOC AC Chair Kirsty Coventry (Zimbabwe), Vice-Chair Danka Bartekova (Slovakia), Tony Estanguet (France) and James Tomkins (Australia). In addition, an appointed member of the Commission, Stefan Holm (Sweden), will also end his term next year.

Marouf’s fluency in English language and his fame are reasons for his appointment.

The 34-year-old setter is a member of Iran national volleyball team about 15 years.