Khunying Patama elected new IOC member
BAT president vows to contribute to sports
>> Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, who was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the 131st IOC session in Lima on Friday, has vowed to help develop all forms of sports both in Thailand and abroad.
The 52-year-old Badminton Association of Thailand (BAT) president was among eight new members who were elected during the IOC session after their names were proposed to the Executive Board by an Election Commission chaired by Princess Anne of Britain.
The number of elected IOC members now stands at 102.
Khunying Patama, who is also a council member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), became the first Thai woman, and fourth person from her country, to win the post after Praphas Charusathien (1971-1974), Dawee Chullasapya (1974-1989) and Nat Indrapana (1990-now).
“Being elected by the IOC, I feel truly humbled and overwhelmed,” said Khunying Patama, who will serve at the high-profile organisation until the age of 70.
“I would like to thank all the commissioners who have shown faith in my ability to serve this organisation.
“I also feel really honoured to have earned the trust of the IOC president [Thomas Bach].”
“To serve the Olympic Movement, I will give all I can and use sports to promote education and quality of life among the youth. It will help make our world a better place to live.”
Claiming she was approached by the IOC president, Khunying Patama said that being a woman would not hinder her work.
“It does not matter which country you are from, what religion you believe in or what gender you are _ it is all about ability and commitment,” she said.
“Everyone who is elected is committed and ready to work. I am dedicated to the Olympic Movement and ready for that.”
She also thanked Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, deputy prime minister and president of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, and Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul for their support.
“As an IOC member, I will focus on not just the Olympic Movement but also on the development of sports in Thailand,” Patama said.
“I will coordinate and work closely with all sports associations and see what I can do for them and for the country as a whole.”
Meanwhile, IOC president Bach earlier said in a statement that the new members “will add to the huge range of knowledge and experience within the IOC membership”.
Khunying Patama first became involved in sports in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, acting as the team manager for the Thai badminton squad.
In August 2013, she was elected as the president of the BAT. This May, she was also elected as a member of the BWF Council until 2021.
During her reign at the BAT, Thai shuttlers have steadily improved on the international stage, including last month’s SEA Games in Malaysia where they won four gold medals, their best-ever result at the biennial competition.
In addition to her sporting commitments, Khunying Patama has given her time and energy to assist a number of charities and is also the chairperson of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra.
She was voted the Person of the Year 2016 by Thailand Tatler magazine.