Saina Nehwal made member of IOC Athlete's Commission

Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal has been appointed as a member of Athlete's Commission by the International Olympic Committee(IOC). The IOC' s president Thomas Bach has informed about her appointment in a letter addressed to Nehwal.

" Following your candidature for the elections of the IOC Athlete's Commission during Olympic Games Rio 2016, it is with great pleasure to appoint you, in consultation with the Chair, as member of the Athlete's Commission," Bach said in his letter.

Following this appointment Nehwal will be a part of the 18-member Athlete's Commission, chaired by American Ice Hockey Olympic champion Angela Ruggiero.

The commission is a consultative body, which acts as a link between the active athletes and the IOC. It also makes recommendations to IOC's executive bodies.

Saina was the first female shuttler to have won the Olympic bronze medal for India, back in 2012 London Olympics. During the Rio Olympics, however, the then World No.5 had crashed out of the competition early on after losing her second group league encounter to World No 61 Ukraine's Maria Ulitina as she was suffering from knee pain.

In August Reliance Foundation chairperson Nita Ambani was elected as an individual member of the IOC. She was elected by IOC members at the 129th session of the world body in Rio de Janeiro, a day before the commencement of Rio Olympic Games on August 4. Nita was the first Indian woman to join the world body that governs the Olympics in the world.

Nehwal's appointment to the Athlete's Commission too was considered as a rare honor for an Indian woman athlete.