Allen and Sir Craig were initially due to receive the honour in 2021 but this was the first in-person Session since, while Chang appeared via video link from North Korea because of health issues, with the formal presentation attended by his son John Chang.

The awards ceremony was led by Princess Nora of Liechtenstein in her first in-person Session as the IOC doyenne, accompanied by IOC President Thomas Bach.

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

Bach commended Allen for her work promoting women in sport.

Sir Craig served as President of the International Badminton Federation, now Badminton World Federation, from 1981 to 1984, and was instrumental in badminton's Olympic debut as a demonstration sport at the Seoul 1988 Olympics and a medal sport at Barcelona 1992.

He also led the British Olympic Association from 1992 to 2005, playing a key role in London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, and was 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 organisation," Bach said.

"But with all your diplomatic skills, your good sense of humour 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.

He was credited by Bach for being "always the bridge" for the Olympic movement to North Korea, and his status as an honorary member continues to ensure North Korean athletes "will always be a part our Olympic community".

The IOC President hailed his role in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the rival World Taekwondo and International Takwon-Do Federation (ITF) in 2014, and in ensuring athletes from North and South Korea marched under the Korean Unification Flag at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony.

"My dear friend, even before my election as IOC President, I could always turn to you for your advice and your wisdom," Bach said.

"This trustful connection even deepened, and this proved to be invaluable in addressing the often complex challenges that we faced together."

Former Polish Olympic Committee (PKOL) President Kraśnicki was the last official who received the Olympic Order in Mumbai, following on from the Order of Merit he received at the European Olympic Committees (EOC) General Assembly in Istanbul earlier this month.

Kraśnicki has never been an IOC member, but served as PKOL President for 13 years until stepping down in April.

He is a member of the EOC Executive Committee and Association of National Olympic Committees Executive Council, and is credited with securing the Kraków-Małopolska 2023 European Games for Poland.

Bach additionally praised Kraśnicki for Poland's support of the refugee relief effort from neighbouring Ukraine since the invasion by Russia in February 2022.