The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that Patricia O’Brien will take over as interim chair of the Ethics Commission until the next IOC Session. This appointment was made during the IOC Executive Board meeting held on Thursday. O’Brien replaces Ban Ki-Moon, whose second four-year term as chair of the Ethics Commission ended on June 24 after he was elected an Honorary Member of the IOC in March this year.
In accordance with the Commission’s Statutes, Patricia O’Brien, who is the longest-serving independent member, will hold the position on an interim basis until the next IOC Session, which will take place before the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, where a new chair of the Ethics Commission, which has existed since 1999, will be elected. In fact, the IOC was the first sports organization to establish an independent Ethics Commission.
An outstanding international career
Patricia O’Brien has extensive experience in diplomatic and legal roles. Between 2008 and 2013, she served as Legal Adviser and Deputy Secretary-General for Legal Affairs at the United Nations. Her track record reinforces the IOC’s commitment to transparency and integrity in the Olympic Movement.
O’Brien’s appointment as interim chair underscores the importance of the independence of the Ethics Commission, a key body in ensuring compliance with the ethical principles set out in the IOC Code of Ethics.
Giuseppe Deleonardis, IOC Ethics and Compliance
The IOC has also announced the appointment of Giuseppe Deleonardis as the new Director of Ethics and Compliance, a position he will assume on July 1, 2025. Deleonardis, who joined the IOC in 2017, has served as Deputy Director of Ethics and Compliance since 2023. In his new role, he will lead the IOC’s Ethics and Compliance Office, with the aim of strengthening standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability.
Deleonardis will replace Pâquerette Girard Zappelli, who has played a key role in the creation and consolidation of the Ethics and Compliance Office since 2015. Girard Zappelli will continue as secretary of the IOC Ethics Commission.
