Athletes Commission 2025-2028, Nominations Now Open

The AFF is pleased to announce that the 2025-2028 Athletes’ Commission nominations are open.

The Athletes’ Commission is the peak athlete representative body of the AFF, and fulfils an important role in the AFF. Its key role and objectives include:

• Act as a link between the athletes and the AFF.
• Represent the views and interests of athletes and participate in AFF Board consultation and decision- making.
• Establish open lines of communication with athletes to:
  • discuss and obtain feedback on issues concerning athletes; and
  • identify issues that need to be addressed by the Commission.
• Consider questions and issues relating to athletes and provide advice to the AFF Board. In this context, the Commission may provide the AFF Board the following on all matters within its scope:
  • offer or give advice;
  • offer or give counsel;
  • offer an opinion;
  • make a recommendation;
  • consult; or
  • give information or notice.
• Promote respect of the rights of the athletes.
• Undertake special projects that are relevant to the AFF Athletes’ Commission and the Charter.
• Perform the activities required to address its responsibilities and make recommendations to the Board

The AFF Athletes’ Commission will comprise between three to five eligible persons who sit for a term of 4 years. Up to three positions are elected, with additional positions that can be appointed by the AFF Board for the purposes of ensuring para-fencing representation and meeting gender equity targets (if required).

Once elected, the Athlete’s Commission nominates the Athlete’s Commission Chair and Athlete’s Director to be appointed to the AFF Board. Please note that in the interests of minimising conflicts of interest, the Athlete’s Director cannot be a NSO or AIS categorised athlete

Any athlete with the time to dedicate to the Athletes’ Commission is encouraged to nominate. Ideally, the Athletes Commission should have as diverse composition as possible.

To be eligible to nominate for a position on the AFF Athletes’ Commission, a person must:

• be at least 18 years of age;
• reside in Australia at the time of election;
• be a registered fencer with a State Fencing Association or fencer who has been a registered fencer with a State Fencing Association within the last 2 years;
• not have been sanctioned for a doping offence in their sporting career;
• be available to attend (either in person or by phone or other means) a minimum of three meetings per year; and
• if appointed as the Athletes’ Director be available to attend AFF Board meetings, which are held at least monthly.

Nominations must be completed via the Athlete Commission Nomination Form and accompanied by a candidate statement and athlete headshot, which will then be made available on the AFF website.

Nominations must be received no later than 5pm AEDT on Sunday, 8 December 2024, 5pm AEDT

Voting will be carried out electronically from 9 – 15 December 2024.  All fencers who have been registered with a Member State at any time during the 2023 or 2024 calendar year will be eligible to vote.

Further details on the electronic voting system will be made available when the candidates’ names are released.

Further information about the Athletes’ Commission and the nomination and election process can be found in the Athletes’ Commission Charter that is accessible on the AFF website.