Scott, Koivu elected athlete members to IOC

Canadian medalist, Finn hockey star join panel; U.S. not among candidates

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updated 9:15 a.m. ET Feb. 26, 2006

TURIN, Italy - Canadian cross-country skier Beckie Scott and Finnish hockey star Saku Koivu were elected Thursday as athlete members of the International Olympic Committee.

Scott, a silver medalist in the team sprint at the Turin Olympics, and Koivu, the Montreal Canadiens captain who has helped Finland reach the semifinals of the hockey tournament, were the top two vote getters among the 15 candidates.

With two IOC seats open, Scott got 449 votes and Koivu 412 in the election among athletes at the three Olympic villages. Third with 392 votes was Japanese Nordic combined athlete Kenji Ogiwara; Croatian ski star Janica Kostelic was fourth with 382.

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There were no Americans among the candidates.

The 32-year-old Scott was a gold medalist in the 5km pursuit at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. Koivu, a 31-year-old center, was diagnosed with abdominal cancer and missed most of the 2001-02 NHL season.

The two become members of the IOC athletes’ commission, and will be inducted as full committee members on Sunday. They will serve eight-year terms.

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To be eligible for election, athletes had to have competed in either Salt Lake City or Turin and never have been found guilty of a doping offense.

The athletes’ commission is comprised of 19 members, including eight from summer sports, four from winter sports and up to seven appointed by the IOC president.