IOC Cuts 12 Permanent Advisory Committees in Governance Overhaul

Overview

• The IOC announced on Oct. 16 that it will discontinue 12 standing advisory bodies and keep 19 permanent committees in place as it shifts to convening ad hoc expert panels when specific issues require them.
• Eliminated groups include the Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commission and the Advisory Committee on Human Rights, the latter chaired by Phumzile Mlambo‑Ngcuka, along with commissions for sustainability, technology, the athletes’ entourage and digital engagement.
• The move formalizes a pattern under President Kirsty Coventry of using small, confidential expert panels for sensitive reviews, including the March decision that set a one-time SRY gene screening for female-category eligibility.
• Rights and advocacy organizations have raised concerns that closing standing bodies could weaken ongoing oversight on human rights, gender equality and athlete privacy and that mandatory genetic screening risks privacy breaches and discrimination.
• The IOC frames the change as a cost-saving and efficiency measure to focus resources ahead of the LA 2028 Games but critics warn to watch whether ad hoc panels will provide consistent follow-up, accountability and sustained work on rights-related issues.