Western Australian Institute of Sport athletes Steve Hooker and Lauren Mitchell have been sworn in as new members of the Australian Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission.

The Western Australian duo were today officially welcomed onto the AOC commission, where they will join fellow new faces; Anna Meares (cycling), Stuart O’Grady (cycling), Loudy Wiggins (diving), Ken Wallace (kayak) and Kim Crow (rowing) alongside incumbents James Tompkins (rowing), Jenny Owens (freestyle skiing) and Paul Murray (cross country skiing).

The Athletes’ Commission which was first incepted in 1985 elected Crow as Chair of the commission, with Murray as Deputy-Chair.

"The AOC Athletes’ Commission was formed back in 1985 and I am delighted to see cycling and track and field represented for the first time,” said AOC President John Coates.

Coates spoke to the Commission about the importance of gender equality highlighting the AOC decision to always have five females and five males represented on the Commission.

"Gender diversity is extremely important and we need more women involved on the AOC Executive Board and on the Boards of our member sports,” he said. "46% of our Beijing Team was made up of women and they won the bulk of the medals.”

Coates also congratulated James Tomkins on his election to the IOC Athletes’ Commission.

- AOC