LPGA Hall of Famer Park In-bee recommended as S. Korean candidate for IOC Athletes’ Commission

South Korean golfer Park In-bee, an LPGA Hall of Famer with 21 career titles on the top women’s golf tour, has been recommended as the country’s candidate for International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission election.

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) announced Monday that its Advisory Council picked Park over four other Olympians for the country’s candidacy and that its own Athletes’ Commission will make the final call during its meetings on Wednesday and Thursday.

Park and others had done their interviews with the KSOC’s Evaluation Commission last Thursday, and the commission had chosen Park unanimously for the Advisory Council’s review.

Park, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist in the women’s golf in Rio de Janeiro, beat out pistol shooter Jin Jong-oh, volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung, taekwondo athlete Lee Dae-hoon and badminton player Kim So-yeong.

The candidate for the IOC Athletes’ Commission must have competed at the previous edition of the Olympics or must have qualified for the Olympics in the same year as the election. According to the IOC, the candidate also must be able to “communicate effectively” in English or French, the two official working languages of the Olympic body.

South Korea has had two Olympic athletes serve on the Athletes’ Commission. Moon Dae-sung, the 2004 Olympic men’s taekwondo gold medalist, was there from 2008 to 2016, and Ryu Seung-min, the 2004 Olympic men’s singles table tennis champion, was elected in 2016, with his term ending next year. Ryu is also the first vice chair of the commission.

Elected by fellow Olympians, Athletes’ Commission members serve an eight-year term, and have the same functions and responsibilities as other IOC members.

Park, 35, is one of the most accomplished players in LPGA history. She has won seven major titles and has won four different major tournaments at least once. Park is the only LPGA player to have won four different majors and an Olympic gold medal.

Having spent her teen years in Las Vegas, Park also speaks fluent English.

Prior to her interview last Thursday, Park told reporters that she competed at the past two Olympics because she wanted to run for a seat on the IOC Athletes’ Commission.

“I was able to win the gold medal in Rio by leaning on my Olympic spirit,” Park said then. “Now I want to spread virtues of that spirit to the rest of the world and be the champion of the Olympic movement.”

Once Park’s candidacy is approved, the KSOC is expected to notify the IOC of her status before the end of August. The election will take place during the Paris Olympics next summer.