The Australian Olympic Committee has elected five new members to the athletes’ commission including boxer Alex Winwood, the first Indigenous member elected to the body in Australian Olympic history.

The IOC athletes’ commission links the athletes, the AOC and the IOC and aims to ensure athletes remain at the core of the decisions made by the international Olympic body.

The other new members representing Australia’s athletes are women’s water polo captain Rowena Webster, hockey player Rachael Lynch and Andrew Charter as well as rower Cameron Girdlestone. Gold medallists Jess Fox, Cate Campbell and Ken Wallace have also been re-elected as members.

They will replace James Tomkins, former commission chair Steve Hooker, Kim Brennan, Shelley Watts, Jamie Dwyer and Alana Quade.

The AOC constitution was amended this year to guarantee an “enduring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice” on the commission. In addition to Winwood’s appointment, the body will consult with the AOC Indigenous Advisory Committee to appoint a second Indigenous person as required under the constitution.