The Bermuda Olympic Association has thanked three Bermudian Olympians for representing the country at a recent international athletes forum in Lausanne, Switzerland, organised by the International Olympic Committee.

Julian Fletcher, representing the Athletes’ Commission of the BOA, Patrick Singleton, representing the World Olympians’ Association, and Katura Horton-Perinchief, who was an Olympian Ambassador selected by the IOC, attended the International Athletes’ Forum from 13 to 15 April.

A total of 350 delegates from 185 countries joined IOC president Thomas Bach and other officials to develop concrete proposals to further increase support for athletes at all levels around the world.

At the international level, those proposals comprise recommendations to strengthen athletes’ representation at the National Olympic Committee (NOC) level; strengthen the Olympic Solidarity funding programme through which the IOC provides NOCs with financial support and create greater transparency of funding streams for all stakeholders; create direct funding of NOCs’ Athletes’ Committees from the IOC and strengthen programmes and funding for athletes’ transitions from sport to business careers

Proposes also included strengthening the protection of “clean” athletes and the fight against doping; strengthening support for mental health programmes for athletes; supporting the Athletes’ Declaration document; invite and encouraging athletes to serve as ambassadors for the Olympic Movement in their communities; and to foster engagement and communication between Athletes’ Committees internationally.

Bermuda’s attendees also returned from the conference with concrete proposals for improving support for athletes locally, including recommendations for improved financial support for the Athletes’ Committee to allow for greater representation and participation in international forums going forward, improved information sharing between the World Olympians’ Association and the BOA with the goal of promoting our Olympic athletes locally, improving local resources supporting athletes’ mental health, and ensuring athletes’ representation on various BOA committees and on the executive board.

Judy Simons, BOA president, said: “We thank Julian, Patrick and Katura for ably representing Bermuda at this important conference, and for their suggestions to the BOA about how we can go about further strengthening our support for our elite athletes as a governing body and as a community.

“We look forward to working with them to progress their recommendations.”