Sharon van Rouwendaal announced as candidate EOC athletes’ Commission

Two-time Olympic champion Sharon van Rouwendaal has announced her candidacy for the upcoming elections for the European Olympic Committees (EOC) Athletes’ Commission. If elected, Sharon will serve a four-year term, representing athletes from across Europe. The elections will take place on 12–13 November in London during the European Athletes Forum and Assembly. 
 
Extending impact beyond swimming 
After more than 18 years of competing at the highest level, Sharon brings experience, passion, and vision for the future of sport in Europe. In her candidacy, she focuses on three key priorities: supporting athletes after their professional careers, ensuring a safe environment for athletes, and promoting sustainability within sport. 
 
In August 2025, Sharon was appointed as a member of the World Aquatics Athletes’ Committee. In this role, she represents swimmers worldwide and advises on athlete welfare, governance, and the global development of aquatic sports. With her candidacy for the EOC Athletes’ Commission, she hopes to extend her impact beyond swimming and contribute to broader athlete representation in Europe. 

 Key points  
“I see a lot of room for improvement in different areas,” Sharon explains. Using sustainability as an example, she continues: “We need cleaner venues for sports. This became very clear after competing in Paris during the Olympics of 2024. After all, sport depends on nature. Take swimming: without clean water, there is no race. And of course, without a healthy planet, there is no sport.” 
 
When it comes to social safety, Sharon speaks from personal experience about how vulnerable athletes can be: “Sport should inspire and empower, never harm. However this is not always the case. Unfortunately I had such an experience and I feel that better education and awareness can create safer places for athletes and help them feel more protected and respected.” 
 
Finally, as a retired athlete, Sharon emphasizes the need to better support athletes in their transition beyond sport: “I think Europe can benefit from a strong network in which former athletes can guide each other, with attention for jobs, education and mental health. Too often, when an athlete retires, everything just stops. Finishing your career should feel like the start of something new.”