Luckes, a goalkeeper who was part of the English team which won a bronze medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, has confirmed he is leaving his role as the sport development director at the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

The 49-year-old's five-year tenure at the FIH will come to an end in December before he starts with the IOC on January 1.

Luckes, who served as the head of sport competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games and also worked with the Bid Committee, told insidethegames the opportunity to work at the IOC was too good to turn down".

"It was a tremendous pleasure to be part of the inception and implementation of the FIH's Hockey Revolution strategy and, given that hockey is my sport, it was a wrench to take the decision to leave after five years," the three-time Olympian said.

"However the opportunity on offer with the IOC sports department was ultimately a job that couldn't be ignored.

"Having come from a background of working for a National Olympic Committee, a Bid Committee, an Olympic Games Organising Committee - as well as having the good fortune to participate as an Olympian - then I hope I'm entering the Olympic Movement with an understanding of the dynamic complexities of all the stakeholders involved. 

"There will be plenty of challenges but not everything that is worthwhile comes easily, so they'll be challenges to relish. 

"I'm therefore looking forward to the New Year to meet the new colleagues at the IOC, and with them continue to expand the chain of dialogue with the IFs and Olympic Games Organising Committees (OCOGs) moving forward through 2018."

Luckes, who competed for Britain at Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000, will work as the number two to IOC sports director Kit McConnell.

"The ability to work across all Summer Olympic IFs, to build up the relationship between them and the IOC, presents a great opportunity to engage with the federations on all aspects of the sporting world, including the Olympic Games," added Luckes.

"With three Summer Games’ OCOGs now in situ, along with the Youth Olympic Games organisers, then there is a lot to do working with the respective sport departments at their varying stages of evolution. 

"I'm excited by the prospect of getting to work with them to help shape the structure of the sporting components of the Games to find the right solution applicable for each city and each OCOG."

The FIH have begun advertising for Luckes' replacement, with the deadline for applications coming on Monday (October 16).