CombatAUS is pleased to announce the appointment of Luke Pellegrini to the CombatAUS Board as a Director.
Luke brings extensive experience across Olympic sport, governance, law and major event operations. His appointment adds significant expertise to the CombatAUS Board, as the organisation continues to strengthen Australia’s performance across Olympic combat sports.
Luke Pellegrini is an experienced sport executive with over fifteen years of leadership experience across the Australian and international sporting systems. He previously served in senior leadership roles at the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) between 2016 and 2024, including as Chief of Sports & Teams from 2021 to 2024, where he oversaw the operational delivery of Australian teams to Olympic, Youth Olympic and regional multi-sport events.
During his time at the AOC, Luke worked closely with more than 50 National Sporting Organisations and collaborated extensively with international federations, National Olympic Committees and global sport bodies including the International Olympic Committee, the Association of National Olympic Committees and the Oceania National Olympic Committees.
Luke also brings a strong governance and legal background, having previously worked as a Senior Lawyer in the Enforcement Division of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), focusing on matters relating to director accountability, fiduciary duties, and corporate governance.
In addition to his executive experience, Luke currently operates Downunder Advantage, a sport advisory service supporting National Olympic Committees, international stakeholders and local businesses prepare for upcoming major international sporting events to held in Australia.
CombatAUS Chair Les Young welcomed this appointment: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Luke to the CombatAUS Board. His extensive experience across the Olympic movement, combined with his governance and legal expertise, will be a significant asset to the organisation. Luke has worked closely with many Australian sports and understands the complex environment in which high performance sport operates.”
“His experience delivering Olympic teams and working across the global sport system will be invaluable as CombatAUS continues its work supporting Australia’s Olympic combat sport athletes on the road to Los Angeles 2028 and beyond,” Young said.
With this appointment, the CombatAUS Board continues to strengthen its collective expertise across governance, high performance sport and international sporting systems. The Board now comprises six Directors and has a 67% female gender representation.
