Lochlann Walsh has been elected as the new President of the Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) at an Extraordinary General Meeting tonight.
He received a majority of the 36 votes cast by member sporting associations.
Moira Aston, CEO of Canoeing Ireland was the other candidate in a strong race of equals.
Having served under his chairing of the OFI Gender Equality Commission, I am confident he will thrive in the role and the organisation will too over his tenure.
Walsh takes over from Sarah Keane, who has held the position since 2017.
They are big shoes to fill and there were a line up of individuals paying tribute to her this evening.
Sarah O’Shea was also elected as the Vice-President of the OFI.
Newly elected President Lochlann Walsh steps up to the role having been an OFI board member since 2017.
“Thank you for placing your trust in me,” he said in a short address.
“During the past few weeks I got to know many of you in the federations and I look forward to taking up the position.”
“I’d like to congratulate Moira on a positive and forward looking campaign.”
The election of six new Board members has also taken place.
Moira Aston representing Canoeing Ireland, Roddy Guiney representing Gymnastics Ireland, John Menton representing Irish Sailing, Cecile Van Steenburg representing Snowsports Ireland, Michelle Carpenter representing Rowing Ireland and John Feehan representing Basketball Ireland will take up their positions with immediate effect.
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
Democracy requires that there be more people willing to put themselves through the wringer of an election that there are places to fill. For those elected last night the responsibility to maintain the gains of the last eight years and kick on again are fully understood and embraced. For those who did not, there was no personal slight, it was an organisational vote where good candidates came out ahead of other good candidates. The trick for them will now be to row in again as supporters in their own roles and play their part in a different fashion to that which they had imagined.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
The Olympic team was introduced in person at the EGM last night, in a nice nod to the amount of work that has gone in over 2024. The Review of the Paris cycle and the Strategic Plan for for the next 2028 and stretched to 2032 cycles are dealt with elsewhere on Sport for Business. For now the staff are entitled to a well deserved break.
The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies.
