Alowonle Jr among 14 candidates announced for 2023 Athletes’ Commission elections

Nigeria’s Rilwan Alowonle is among 14 candidates announced Thursday to contest for the six available seats on the World Athletics Athletes’ Commission.

The 2018 Commonwealth Games and 2019 African Games 400m hurdles finalist is one of just two African athletes among the candidates announced by World
Athletics.

The other is 2019 women’s 800m world champion, Halimah Nakaayi of Uganda.

According to World Athletics, Alowonle’s fate will be in the hands of all athletes accredited for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

The athletes, which will include Nigerians accredited for the Championships will have the right to vote in the elections, which will take place during the
championships between 18-23 August in official team venues.

To be eligible for election, athletes must have competed in at least one of the past two editions of the World Athletics Championships, or in the most recent
Olympic Games, or be a competitor at this year’s World Athletics Championships.

The six seats available for election in 2023 include the Chair and Deputy Chair positions, which will be voted on by the Athletes’ Commission following the
elections and once the membership is finalised.

This year’s Athletes’ Commission elections will introduce a new method of voting. For the first time, voting will be done electronically, on portable voting
devices, rather than via paper ballots. This transition to electronic voting is in line with World Athletics’ commitment to sustainability, and will enable a
more efficient polling and counting process.