Tomkins, Hackett among Athletes' Commission inductees
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The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has officially inducted eight members into the Athletes' Commission.
James Tomkins, Clint Robinson, Natalie Cook, Angie Lambert, Grant Hackett, Libby Trickett, Chantelle Newbery and Trent Franklin were voted in by their team-mates in Beijing.
Tomkins will be the chairman and water polo player Franklin the deputy chairman, and will represent the views of athletes at AOC meetings.
Tomkins was expected to retire after this year's Olympics but the rower says he has been inspired by other athletes to consider proving people wrong.
"There's editorials in the paper about all that sort of stuff and it's like what right does someone have to say whether someone should or shouldn't continue on?" he said.
"Lance Armstrong, he obviously loves riding a bike, loves the camaraderie of working with a team, riding the Tour de France.
"Who are we to say he shouldn't do it because he finished on top?"
Kayaker Robinson meanwhile wants Olympic team selection processes streamlined.
He said it is unhealthy to have drawn out legal battles over selections like those that took place before the Beijing Games.
"It's a very hard thing to think 'I've tried for this for 12 years now, I've just got to turn off and walk away?'" he said.
"It's a very hard thing and the people behind them that don't understand why they weren't selected say 'get this lawyer to do this'.
"All these processes that are allowed to continue and go on for months and months and months are destructive to the whole sport."
