MUMBAI, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Gambia's Beatrice Allen, Britain's Craig Reedie, DPR Korea's Chang Ung and Poland's Andrzej Krasnicki were awarded Olympic Orders in a ceremony held on the final day of the 141st International Olympic Committee Session here on Tuesday.

Allen and Reedie were initially due to receive the honor in 2021 and 2022 respectively. But due to the global pandemic and the associated restrictions, the IOC chose to wait to award them when it was possible to celebrate them in person among friends and colleagues.

Allen was an IOC member from 2006 to 2020 and is now an honorary member. She has previously held roles with Gambia's National Olympic Committee, World Baseball Softball Confederation and Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa.

Emphasising Allen's role as a tireless advocate for gender equality, Bach said: "Promoting women in and through sport has been a central theme throughout your career."

Reedie joined the IOC membership in 1994 before he served as President of the International Badminton Federation from 1981 to 1984. He was instrumental in the campaign to include badminton on the Olympic program and was also World Anti-Doping Agency President between 2014 and 2019.

"Dear Craig, as the third President of the World Anti-Doping Agency, you had to go through some of the most difficult periods of this organization," said Bach.

"But with all your diplomatic skills, your good sense of humor and your openness, you finally managed to navigate the rough waters and finally steadied the ship."

Chang was first elected as an IOC member in 1996. Now 85, he ceased his membership in 2018 having reached the age limit. Chang joined the award ceremony by video link and in his absence, the Order was collected by his son.

Bach lauded Chang for "always [being] the bridge" for the Olympic movement to DPR Korea.

"Throughout his illustrious career in sport, whether at the National Olympic Committee, at the Olympic Council of Asia, as IOC Member and as an active member of many IOC Commissions, Ung Chang was above all a trusted advisor, who always built bridges of friendship and understanding through sport and its values," said Bach.

"He continues to do so today even as IOC Honorary Member, ensuring that the DPRK athletes will always be a part [of] our Olympic community."

The final Olympic Order was awarded to Krasnicki, the former President of the National Olympic Committee of Poland.

"The strong standing of Polish sport in the world today is the result of a long journey of modernization. The person who took this modernization to new heights is Andrzej Krasnicki - a highly respected leader," said Bach.

"Highly respected by the athletes, the Olympic community in Poland but also highly respected by the world of politics, business and culture in his country. He put all these great relationships at the service of sport in his country. It was under his leadership - and thanks to the respect that he also enjoyed at the European level - that the European Games were awarded to Poland. "

The Olympic Order is the highest award of the IOC, given for distinguished contributions to the Olympic Movement. Enditem

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