Athletes Canada - An Experiment Gone Wrong.

Athletes Canada, an independent organization designed to service the needs of Canada’s amateur athletes, was introduced in 1992, based on the desire of Canada’s amateur athletes to have their own voice separate from Canada’s sporting brass. The organization was formed under the leadership of Ann Peel, a race walker on Canada’s track and field team, and consisted of a small independent group of athletes, including, among others, of Olympic gold medallist Kay Worthington in rowing, Olympic medallist Steve Podborski in alpine skiing, and Dan Thompson in aquatics. At the time, the voice of Canada’s amateur athletes was the Athletes’ Council, which was part of the Canadian Olympic Committee. However, Peel and her crew recognized realized how divergent the athletes’ voice was from the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC).


Recognizing a need to have its own voice - seperate from the COC, Athletes Canada hit the Canadian sports landscape with a bang, demanding increased funding for Canada’s athletes and better representation within Canada’s sporting organizations. “In those first few years we were radical, not nice, and did a lot of things right,” says Peel. “In 1995, athletes received their first carding increase in over ten years and Sport Solution was created to provide athletes with legal information and assistance. We filed appeals on behalf of athletes and demonstrated to sport organizations that athletes had rights.”

Many of the programs created by Peel and her group continue to exist today. However, the organization today is only a shadow of its former self. As Peel herself notes, “I don’t think they are serving Canada’s athletes well.” She goes on to add. “Today, if someone wants a career in sports administration, they use Athletes Canada as a stepping stone compromising their ability to be an effective critic."

The evidence bears out Peel's concerns. Thomas Jones, the past Executive Director with Athletes Canada is now the CEO for Commonwealth Games Canada. Claire - Carver Dias, was elected president of Athletes Canada while also working with the Canadian Olympic Committee and later Bobsleigh Canada/Skeleton. Iain Brambell was a board member with Athletes Canada while also working for B.C Athletes Voice. Trevino Betty was a board member with Commonwealth Games Canada while also serving as a board membe with Athletes Canada. Alex Loo is double dipping with Athletes Canada and the COC. Michael Smith was President of Athletes Canada while also serving as a mission staff member with the COC - and was just announced to be a mission staff for Commonwealth Games Canada at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Alexandra Orlando - a board member with Athltetes Canada is also going to the 2010 Games as a Mission Staff Member with Commonwealth Games Canada. So too is Suzanne Weckend. So too is Todd Allison. The list goes on and on and on.


Isn't it time that the Athletes retain its independance from the sport system. Ann Peel thinks so. "To have an effective, independent voice, you cannot compromise your independence by connecting advocacy with your need for a career. The career has to come first. That is why it is always so important that athletic leadership retain its independence from the sporting system.”

If only the board members Athletes Canada who represent Canada's amateur athletes remembered this.