Two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol has been elected by Olympic athletes to serve on the International Olympic Committee executive board through the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games. The former Los Angeles Lakers star, who won his NBA titles in the same city, will represent athletes' interests on the influential 15-member board.

Gasol's appointment marks a significant moment in Olympic politics, as he becomes the first male athlete to hold this position in 14 years. His No. 16 jersey hangs in the Lakers' home arena, which will host gymnastics and boxing events during the LA28 Games. The Spanish basketball legend, a five-time Olympian who helped Spain win silver medals in 2008 and 2012, was previously elected as an IOC member at the Tokyo 2021 Games.

Gasol follows in the footsteps of notable predecessors including ice hockey players Emma Terho and Angela Ruggiero, German fencer Claudia Bokel, and Kirsty Coventry, who leveraged her athlete delegate role to become the Olympic body's first female president. His election by the IOC athletes commission underscores the growing influence of athlete representation in Olympic governance.