Mikhail Romanchuk Heads the NOC of Ukraine Athletes' Commission for 2026–2030

The second meeting of the updated Athletes' Commission of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine (NOC) was held, during which the new leadership team was approved. The main news from the meeting was the election of the decorated Ukrainian swimmer Mikhail Romanchuk as chairman of the commission for a four-year term — from 2026 to 2030.

New leadership and composition of the commission

Martha Fedina, representing artistic swimming, became Romanchuk's deputy. Eight other well-known Ukrainian athletes, whose portfolios include both summer and winter sports, also joined the governing body for a four-year term. Thus, the updated Athletes' Commission has been formed as a multi-disciplinary body bringing together representatives of various Olympic disciplines.

Position of the new chairman

In his social media posts, Romanchuk thanked the commission members for their support and readiness to work "as one team." "Ahead lies a great responsibility and an even greater number of tasks. I want the Commission to be a platform where the voice of athletes carries real weight, and where ideas turn into concrete decisions and changes," the new chairman stated. These words set the tone for his intentions: to transform the commission from a formal body into a tool for athletes to exert real influence on the country's sports policy.

Tasks for the four-year term

The main tasks of the updated body will be to protect the interests of Ukrainian Olympians and to define the key vectors for the development of the country's sports community. In a situation where Ukrainian sport is undergoing a period of adaptation to new realities, the role of the Athletes' Commission as the voice of the athletes themselves within the NOC takes on special significance. It is precisely through this channel that positions on issues directly affecting athletes should be shaped.

Context: disputes over the return of Russians to sport

The appointment comes against the backdrop of ongoing discussions in the Ukrainian sports community. Earlier, the decorated judoka Zantaria publicly expressed outrage over the lack of reaction from Ukrainian officials to the return of Russians to international sport. This episode underscores how sensitive the issue of Russian athletes' participation remains and how much in demand an independent voice of athletes within national Olympic structures has become.