Last week Jean Dupre was announced as the CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee. On the surface the selection was a a decent one. After all Dupre has been the Director General of Speed Skating Canada since 1995 and during his tenure the sport has risen to unparalled heights. Since 2006 the sport has won a mind-numbing 22 Olympic medals - and has produced some of Canada's most recognizable athletes; Clara Hughes, Cindy Klassen, Jeremy Wotherspoon to name a few.
And while no one will doubt that Dupre has the qualificaitons and experience to be CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee the fashion in which he became CEO ought to be up for investigation.
In 2009 Marcel Aubut was in a political fight to become President of the COC with Tricia Smith. Smith - a former Olympic medallist in the sport of rowing and a VP with the COC was widely percieved as a front runner for the role. However, Dupre - also a VP within the organization (in addition to being Director General of Speed Skating Canada) lobbied hard on Aubut's behalf. With Dupre and a few other political heavyweights in his corner, Aubut was elected as the President of the Canadian Olympic Committee in the summer of 09.
Fast forward 8 months. In April of 2010 Aubut is handed the reigns of Canada's Olympic Committee and his first order of business is to hire Dupre as the organizations CEO.
In most circles similar-type announcements would have likely raised eyebrows and may have even warranted an investigation. In the COC it is business and no one really cares.
Perhaps it is true. "The more things change, the more they stay the same."
Monday, April 26, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Confused
Great article in the Toronto Sun from Steve Simmons. In the article he notes that public opinion of Canada's Olympic program is at an all time high, so why is it that everyone in the organization is jumping ship. Gone are CEO - Chris Rudge - President Michael Chambers, COO- Lou Ragagnin & VP David Bedford just to name a few. Also announcing his departure is Roger Jackson CEO of the Own the Podium program. http://www.torontosun.com/sports/columnists/steve_simmons/2010/04/19/13646126.html
A team that is at the pinnacle of success typically does not witness a mass exodus. In fact most teams that experience success strengthen their management core through addition. Witness the New York Yankees. After winning the World Series in 2009 Manager Joe Girardi stayed on in 2010 as did President Randy Levine as did GM Brian Cashman as did the ownership team.
In the case of the Canadian Olympic Committee could it be that senior mangement - after Vancouver has recognized that there is no where to go but down. In two short years it will be our Summer Olympians who compete for the pride of Canada and as we have seen Canada's history at the Summer Games has not been a cause for celebration over the last 10 years.
The goal in London 2012 is a top twelve finish and if history is any indicator Canada will have to win approximately 24 medals to satisfy this lofty goal. Over the course of the last six Olympiads Canada's Summer Athletes have won an average of 15 medals and have shown to finish within +/-3 of this figure for the last decade.
Understanding history and the challenges that await our Summer Olympic Program it appears that Rudge, Chambers, Ragagnin and Jackson left at just the right time.
A team that is at the pinnacle of success typically does not witness a mass exodus. In fact most teams that experience success strengthen their management core through addition. Witness the New York Yankees. After winning the World Series in 2009 Manager Joe Girardi stayed on in 2010 as did President Randy Levine as did GM Brian Cashman as did the ownership team.
In the case of the Canadian Olympic Committee could it be that senior mangement - after Vancouver has recognized that there is no where to go but down. In two short years it will be our Summer Olympians who compete for the pride of Canada and as we have seen Canada's history at the Summer Games has not been a cause for celebration over the last 10 years.
The goal in London 2012 is a top twelve finish and if history is any indicator Canada will have to win approximately 24 medals to satisfy this lofty goal. Over the course of the last six Olympiads Canada's Summer Athletes have won an average of 15 medals and have shown to finish within +/-3 of this figure for the last decade.
Understanding history and the challenges that await our Summer Olympic Program it appears that Rudge, Chambers, Ragagnin and Jackson left at just the right time.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Catch Up
It has been seven long days since this blogger last published a post and since that time a number of events have transpired. A quick whirlwhind is as follows.
Roger Jackson - CEO of the Own the Podium program announced that he is stepping down from his post once his contract expires on April 15, 2010. Alex Baumann - Executive Director of the Summer Own the Podium program will assume the role of interim CEO. It is unknown who Baumann's replacement will be but speculation suggests that Anne Merklinger will likely be the succesful candidate.
B2Ten the incredibly succesful initiative that raised over $3 million dollars from corporate entities to support athletes at the 2010 Games is being expanded. The goal of the organization is to now raise $20 million dollars and support Canada's athletes through to the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Good article in the Guelph Mercury about how Athletic Canada is changing the way it funds its athletes http://news.guelphmercury.com/Sports/article/620283. Soon an a 18 year old athlete will be subjected to an easier standard for carding purposes than would be a 23 year old athlete and doubly more so than for a 28 year old athlete. No doubt that development initiatives for our younger athletes is important but imagine a professional sports team using the same analogy to select one of its teams. The end result would be a high school team competing against men. If only Athletics Canada saw things this way.
The financial figures for the Vancouver 2010 Games are starting to be released. It is expected that VANOC and its $1.56 Billion dollar operating budget will break even. However, what is not included amongst this figure is the $1 Billion dollar budget for Security and the $600 million dollars spent on sports infastructure. The citizens of Canada are paying this tab. And don't think that the citizens of Vancouver citizens are getting off easy. The City of Vancouver spent close to $4.5Billion to host the Games and the bill for the Province of British-Columbia will be close to $3.0 Billion. After everything is said and done Vancouver residents the citizens of B.C and the Canadian Taxpayer and will end up paying close to $8 billion dollars to host the games.
Randy Starkam on his Olympic Blog reported a figure from Bob Mackin of High Society that Gary Lunn's - the head of Sport Canada - hotel bill from Feb. 4 to March 1 in Vancouver and Whistler totalled $10,213.49, or an average of $392.83 a night. Lunn's predecessor in the role of Sports Minister is the now disgraced Helena Guergis who was asked to leave the Tory Caucus this week.
Yes quite the week.
Roger Jackson - CEO of the Own the Podium program announced that he is stepping down from his post once his contract expires on April 15, 2010. Alex Baumann - Executive Director of the Summer Own the Podium program will assume the role of interim CEO. It is unknown who Baumann's replacement will be but speculation suggests that Anne Merklinger will likely be the succesful candidate.
B2Ten the incredibly succesful initiative that raised over $3 million dollars from corporate entities to support athletes at the 2010 Games is being expanded. The goal of the organization is to now raise $20 million dollars and support Canada's athletes through to the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Good article in the Guelph Mercury about how Athletic Canada is changing the way it funds its athletes http://news.guelphmercury.com/Sports/article/620283. Soon an a 18 year old athlete will be subjected to an easier standard for carding purposes than would be a 23 year old athlete and doubly more so than for a 28 year old athlete. No doubt that development initiatives for our younger athletes is important but imagine a professional sports team using the same analogy to select one of its teams. The end result would be a high school team competing against men. If only Athletics Canada saw things this way.
The financial figures for the Vancouver 2010 Games are starting to be released. It is expected that VANOC and its $1.56 Billion dollar operating budget will break even. However, what is not included amongst this figure is the $1 Billion dollar budget for Security and the $600 million dollars spent on sports infastructure. The citizens of Canada are paying this tab. And don't think that the citizens of Vancouver citizens are getting off easy. The City of Vancouver spent close to $4.5Billion to host the Games and the bill for the Province of British-Columbia will be close to $3.0 Billion. After everything is said and done Vancouver residents the citizens of B.C and the Canadian Taxpayer and will end up paying close to $8 billion dollars to host the games.
Randy Starkam on his Olympic Blog reported a figure from Bob Mackin of High Society that Gary Lunn's - the head of Sport Canada - hotel bill from Feb. 4 to March 1 in Vancouver and Whistler totalled $10,213.49, or an average of $392.83 a night. Lunn's predecessor in the role of Sports Minister is the now disgraced Helena Guergis who was asked to leave the Tory Caucus this week.
Yes quite the week.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Summer Envy
This past week Tracy Cobb of WinSport Canada provided the writer with a first hand look at construction of the $231 million athletic and ice complex on Canada Olympic Park. Construction is approximately 60% complete but already one can see the opportunities the facility will provide for the future of Canada's Winter Olympic Athletes.
Upon completion, the 500,000 square foot facility will contain two international size arenas, two NHL size arena's, a national high performance training centre, a public sport development centre, and a public market cafe. A 100,000 square foot office building overlooking the ice surfaces will be the home of Hockey Canada and other national sport organizations. The facility will also include a public school operated by the Calgary Board of Education allowing athletes to attend high school without having to leave the facility. Meeting and banquet rooms serving the needs of sport groups will be on site. And if not enough the entire facility will be built to the highest standard of environmental sustainability - LEED silver.
The athlete and ice complex, however, is just part of WinSport Canada's impact on Winter Sport development here in Canada. Athlete facilities managed by WinSport Canada on Canada Olympic Park include a 22 foot Super Halfpipe that is home to Canada's national snowboard team, a Freestyle Aerials and Moguls Course that is considered the most challenging on the world cup circuit, a Ski Jumping Training Centre - that is dubbed the best facility in North America, an Olympic Bobsleigh, Luge & Skeleton track that plays host to World Cup events on a regular basis, the Bob Niven Training Centre and Cross Country Ski Trails.
Then there are the facilities that WinSport manages away from Canada Olympic Park including the Olympic Oval - home of the world's fastest ice, the Bill Warren Training Centre home to Canada's cross country ski teams in Canmore, Alberta, the Spray Lakes Athlete Village, the Beckie Scott high performance centre on Haig Glacier and Camp Green on Farnhum Glacier.
Canada Olympic Park is a sports haven for our Winter Olympic athletes but after saying good-bye to Ms. Cobb sports envy started to set in. As one who is actively involved in the development of summer athletes here in Canada it became apparent that our athletes are offered little in comparison to what is offered in Calgary, Alberta. Canada's Summer Olympic Programs are scattered across the country, many who don't even provide a national training centre. The result is that the different sports are unable to learn from one another and the supportive services that are required to be successful are sorrily lacking.
Perhaps this explains why Canada won 14 Olympic gold medals in Vancouver, and Canada's Summer Olympic athletes won 12 Olympic gold medals in Beijing, Athens, Sydney and Atlanta......combined. Summer envy indeed
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Rudge Resigns
The Canadian Olympic Committee announced today that Chris Rudge has resigned from his position of Chief Executive Officer.
Rudge who has held the role since 2003 will officially step down on April 15, 2010.
Since joining the organization in 2003 the performance of Canada's athletes on the Olympic Scene has improved. Canada's amateur athletes finished the Vancouver 2010 Games with an Olympic record 14 Olympic gold medals and a Canadian record 26 Winter Olympic Medals.
Changing attitudes within the COC, and creating programs to give the athletes the support they need, are two of the achievements Rudge feels the most pride over.
"At one time when I first got here, I think we were trying to be all things to all people," he said. "The COC was trying to do too much without focusing on three or four key priorities or objectives. I think we are a much more focused organization now on what we are about. Success in sport and our contribution to success in sport."
However, not unlike the business world who today is asked to judge a company CEO via the long term profitability of a firm as opposed to its short term share price , Rudge's impact on amateur sport should not be judged today but on where amateur sport is in 2020.
This after all is a man who was once President of Quebecor Printing Canada and precided over the acquistion of World Color Press in 1999 making the company the second largest printing company in the world . Some 9 years later Quebecor filed for Bankruptcy protection from its creditors.
Some feel that Rudge's impact on amateur sport will follow a similar path as that of Quebecor Printing. Paul Henderson of the IOC says that Rudge has sacrificed the future of amateur sport here in Canada by focusing on short term success as opposed to long term athlete development.
Time will tell. No doubt Canada's athletes were succesful in Vancouver - lets just hope they continue that success into 2020 and beyond. As Pat Fiacco mayor of the City of Regina and a high ranking boxing official notes, we can "Own the Podium" today but who will own it in Rio?"
Rudge who has held the role since 2003 will officially step down on April 15, 2010.
Since joining the organization in 2003 the performance of Canada's athletes on the Olympic Scene has improved. Canada's amateur athletes finished the Vancouver 2010 Games with an Olympic record 14 Olympic gold medals and a Canadian record 26 Winter Olympic Medals.
Changing attitudes within the COC, and creating programs to give the athletes the support they need, are two of the achievements Rudge feels the most pride over.
"At one time when I first got here, I think we were trying to be all things to all people," he said. "The COC was trying to do too much without focusing on three or four key priorities or objectives. I think we are a much more focused organization now on what we are about. Success in sport and our contribution to success in sport."
However, not unlike the business world who today is asked to judge a company CEO via the long term profitability of a firm as opposed to its short term share price , Rudge's impact on amateur sport should not be judged today but on where amateur sport is in 2020.
This after all is a man who was once President of Quebecor Printing Canada and precided over the acquistion of World Color Press in 1999 making the company the second largest printing company in the world . Some 9 years later Quebecor filed for Bankruptcy protection from its creditors.
Some feel that Rudge's impact on amateur sport will follow a similar path as that of Quebecor Printing. Paul Henderson of the IOC says that Rudge has sacrificed the future of amateur sport here in Canada by focusing on short term success as opposed to long term athlete development.
Time will tell. No doubt Canada's athletes were succesful in Vancouver - lets just hope they continue that success into 2020 and beyond. As Pat Fiacco mayor of the City of Regina and a high ranking boxing official notes, we can "Own the Podium" today but who will own it in Rio?"
Friday, April 2, 2010
Tara Who?
Who is Canada's best unknown amateur athlete. That distinction has to go to Tara Whitten.
The 30 year-old former cross country skier turned cyclist is now a two time world champion after taking up the sport only two short years ago. Currently a Ph.D student at the University of Alberta, Tara did what no other Canadian has ever done at the world cycling championships. She became the first Canadian to win two world championship titles in the same year by winning both the individual pursuit race and the soon to be introduced Olympic event - the omnium - a five race discipline consisting of a 200 metre time trial, individual pursuit, scratch race, points race and a 500m time trial. Tara is now only the third Canadian of all time to win world championship gold on a veledrome track. Imagine the possibilities in 2012 when between now and then the amount of time Tara will have spent in the sport will actually double.
Not sure if you heard but Adrian Spracklen is joining his father Mike as a coach with Rowing Canada. Adrian's duties are presently unknown but this blogger feels that Adrian will oversee the Lightweight Men's Program in Victoria, who are currently without a coach since the death of Bent Jensen in 2008. Prior to his arrival in Victoria, Adrian was the head rowing coach of Mercyhurst College - a division II school in the United States where he coaches a number of top lightweight men.
An unknown here in Canada - Adrian is well respected by his athletes. Bethany Brun a former team captain with the Mercyhurst Program called Adrian a "nice guy and wonderful coach." At the very least Adrian and his family will improve the scenery at Elk Lake in Victora. Adrian's adopted son Rowan won the "cutest kid" contest on an nation wide contest on ABC beating out 50,000 kids.
The question that remains within Rowing Canada circles is who will assist Al Morrow at the London Training Centre in London, Ontario. Rowing insiders speculate that Mike Thompson - a development (U23) coach within Rowing Canada will get the post. Another possible name being thrown around is that of Alison Dobbs - currently working with Mike in Victoria. Of course this is just mere speculation.
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