IOC Appoints USOC's Lyons, Hirshland To New Posts

USOC Chair Susanne Lyons has been appointed to a seat on the IOC’s marketing commission, her first formal role at the global Olympics level since she took over for Larry Probst in January. The position is short of full IOC membership for Lyons, a former Visa CMO, but it restores an American voice on the commission after former CEO Scott Blackmun resigned last year. Insiders expect Lyons’ credentials as USOC chair and the former top marketer of a longtime Olympics sponsor will give her an outsized role on the 23-person board, which helps set commercial strategy for the IOC. Separately, USOC CEO Sarah Hirshland is joining the Olympic Program board.

Meanwhile, the IOC has named Aruban retired synchronized swimmer Nicole Hoevertsz as Chair of the '28 L.A. Games coordination commission, making her the top member liaison between LA 2028 and the IOC. An IOC exec board member, Hoevertsz is known as a close ally of the USOC and a loyal lieutenant to IOC President Thomas Bach.