The International Olympic Committee (IOC) elected 10 athletes in an IOC extraordinary session at Lausanne on Sunday.

The 10 athletes, all from the IOC's athlete's commission, are Ukrainian pole vaulter Sergei Bubka, Czech javelin champion Jan Zelezny, former US volleyball star Robert Ctvrtlik, former Canadian runner Charmaine Crooks, Russian swimmer Alexander Popov, Norwegian speedskater Johann Olav Koss, Algerian 1,500-meter runner Hassiba Boulmerka, German rower Roland Baar, Italian cross- country skier Manuela di Centa and Kazak cross-country skier Vladimir Smirnov.

Another five athletes will be selected at a later date.

Among the 10 athletes elected, seven from the summer Olympic sports will join the IOC until the end of next year's Sydney Games. The three winter sports representatives will remain on board until the Salt Lake City Games in 2002.

The IOC session agreed to widen its ranks to include athletes on Saturday. (Xinhua)