Latest news with #CanadianOlympicCommittee
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'At the brink of falling apart': Sport organizations hope new government heeds urgent call for funding
Olympic gold medallist Adam van Koeverden, the newly minted secretary of state for sport, must navigate an urgent call for funding from sport organizations and what has been described as a safe-sport crisis. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press - image credit) At the end of a successful Summer Olympics in Paris last year, David Shoemaker issued a stark warning. Canadians took home 27 medals from France after standout performances in swimming, beach volleyball and track and field, to name a few. Advertisement The Canadian Olympic Committee CEO said he believed Canada has the potential to do more, but that he worried the athletes' full potential won't be unlocked without more resources from the federal government. "I worry about performance in Milano Cortina and certainly for LA [in 2028]," Shoemaker said that day. "There hasn't been an increase in the core funding of the national sports organizations, the 62 federally-funded national sports organizations, in 19 years. They are having to do so much more with so much less, including the demands upon them to create a safe and barrier-free healthy sports system that we all want so badly." WATCH | Canada's new secretary of state for sport talks transforming Canada's sport landscape: Fast forward almost 10 months and Canadians have a new government, led by a new Prime Minister, Mark Carney. Advertisement The new person in charge of the sports portfolio is a familiar face in the Canadian sports world: Adam van Koeverden, the retired kayaker who owns four Olympic medals, including gold in the K-1 500-metre from the 2004 Summer Games in Athens. There's no minister of sport in this government. Koeverden is the secretary of state for sport, part of a two-tiered cabinet created by Carney. But much will still be expected from the former athlete. He's tasked with addressing funding demands from sport organizations. The magic number Shoemaker has cited is a $144 million increase to make up for two decades without a significant boost to core funding, now appearing as millions of dollars worth of deficits on sports organizations' books. He'll also have to navigate what's been described as a safe-sport crisis across the country. The Future of Sport in Canada Commission will report back in March, and van Koeverden, who gave his own recommendations to the panel earlier this year, will guide how the government will respond to its findings. Advertisement Perhaps even bigger than all of that is preserving what sport means to Canadians at a time when that identity is under threat like never before. It's a tone both the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee struck in a joint statement released after the new cabinet was named in May. "As we face an unprecedented crisis of national identity, this portfolio will be critical in achieving this government's urgent nation building priorities," the statement said. "Sport unites Canadians like nothing else can – bridging geography, language, and politics." Fundraising for training When it comes to nation building, Nathan Bombrys sees a role for rugby. Advertisement The Canadian women's rugby union team is ranked second in the world heading into the sport's World Cup in England, which begins in August. Bombrys, who is Rugby Canada's CEO, believes the Canadian women have a shot at winning the tournament. "If you follow the sport of rugby, it's literally planting a flag where it doesn't belong, and we have a team capable of doing that," he said. But the women's team has been fundraising just to pay for proper training. It would go toward things like holding training camps and accessing mental performance coaching. The Canadian women's rugby sevens team won silver at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) Even if they're successful in reaching the $1-million fundraising goal, Bombrys expects Canada will have one of the lowest budgets in the entire tournament. Advertisement Performing well at that tournament, which is one of the biggest in the sporting world, would certainly fall under the nation-building category. "I'd like to see this government really appreciate the value that sport brings to the nation, to Canada, and really understand that," he said. Rugby Canada is also looking to see more corporate sponsors involved in the sport. Without more money, the future looks different. Bombrys said he's already having to make difficult decisions that affect athletes and programming. "Will we still play on the global stage? Probably," he said. "But wouldn't we like to be competitive and represent Canada well? Without that support, it's going to be harder and harder to do that." Staying afloat For Olympic athletes across Canada, funding is the number one issue, according to Philippe Marquis, a two-time Olympian in freestyle skiing who serves as the chair of the Canadian Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission. Advertisement Marquis was happy to see van Koeverden receive the sports file, and like Shoemaker, he feels a sense of urgency. "Sport organizations are at the brink of falling apart with the lack of funding and the resources," he said. "Everyone is tight." Canadian Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission chair Philippe Marquis, pictured in 2019, says funding is the number-one issue for Olympic athletes. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press) The way he sees it, national sport organizations and athletes are both trying to survive. For sport organizations, like Rugby Canada, it's having the resources to properly structure and deliver sport to athletes. For athletes, it's trying to attend camps and access proper training, all while buying food and paying rent. Having or not having that money could determine whether an athlete stays in sport or walks away. Advertisement The 2024 federal budget increased the monthly living and training allowances under the Athlete Assistance Program, commonly known as carding, by about 23 per cent, retroactive to April 2024. "Was it sufficient? Not necessarily, and it has to be indexed with inflation and obviously what's going on around the world with cost of living," Marquis said. A familiar face The sports portfolio is nothing new to van Koeverden. Beyond his own career as an athlete, van Koeverden was Parliamentary secretary to ministers responsible for sport over two Parliaments. "It's been a joy and a huge privilege, but it's also been tough," van Koeverden said a few days into his new job. Advertisement "It's a lot of work and I'm embracing all of it. But sometimes it's hard when you achieve a goal because you recognize that there's just so many expectations and work that you've got to do in order to achieve the good outcomes, the reason that you get involved." Exactly what Carney would like his government to accomplish when it comes to sport isn't yet clear. The topic didn't appear in the Liberal platform, nor has there been a mandate letter released for the sport portfolio. Canadian Olympic Committee CEO David Shoemaker issued a stark warning at the end of last year's Summer Olympics: without additional funding to sport organizations, Canada's performance at the Games could falter. (Tijana Martin/The Canadian Press) Van Koeverden said he's encouraged by how frequently Carney, who was a hockey goaltender in college, talks about sport. Advertisement "I'm really, really excited because Mark Carney has clearly articulated his love and his passion for sport, physical activity and recreation in Canada," van Koeverden said. Whether Carney's government will increase funding of national sport organizations and multisport service organizations — such as the Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee and U Sports — to the level that leaders like Shoemaker are calling for remains to be seen. But van Koeverden agreed he would advocate for an increase in core funding for national sport organizations, describing it as "critical." "Sport Canada does a great job making sure that all our national sport organizations get funding, but we've got more people in Canada now," he said. "Sports are more expensive. So are flights for national teams." Advertisement He also agreed that carding funding should be indexed with inflation, even though budgeting for that could be "a bit ambiguous." But just as important is funding the bottom of the pyramid, van Koeverden said, which helps get more people, including kids, playing sport. In his mind, funding sport at a grassroot level will help foster more Sidney Crosbys and Christine Sinclairs at the top of the pyramid. But keeping the most talented athletes on the ice, field or court, and helping them achieve their potential, is also part of the puzzle. "We continue to advocate to the federal government for an increase in funding [for national sport organizations]," Shoemaker told CBC Sports during the election campaign this past spring. "We think we're making a strong case. We think we're getting through. But only time will tell."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Connor McDavid among first six players named to Canada's Olympic hockey team
After making his mark with a series-winning goal in the 4 Nations Face-Off, Connor McDavid will get a chance at Olympic gold for the first time in his career. McDavid was among six names released by Hockey Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee on Monday. The other Canadian all-stars include: • Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins • Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche • Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche • Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning • Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers This will be McDavid's first Olympic appearance, as NHLers haven't played in the tournament since Sochi in 2014. 'We are excited to announce the first six players who will represent Canada at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games next February, as these are six world-class players and leaders that are deserving of this recognition,' said Canada GM Doug Armstrong. 'Sidney, Nathan, Cale, Connor, Brayden and Sam provide a strong foundation for a successful team and have been proven winners at all levels of their professional and international careers, and we look forward to all six being key contributors to our team as we look to accomplish our goal of winning Olympic gold.' McDavid has represented Canada before, but not on such a major stage. Other than gold at this year's 4 Nations Face-Off, the Oilers captain won gold at the 2013 World U18 Championship, the 2015 World Junior Championship and the 2016 World Championship. There is some unsettled business among Team Canada teammates this week, however. Both Reinhart and McDavid are still battling it out on opposite sides of the rink in the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers. Game 6 in that series goes tomorrow in Florida. The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics run Feb. 6-22 next year. Some things to worry about before the Edmonton Oilers play Game 6 Edmonton Oilers have no answers for Stanley Cup snipers Bennett, Marchand You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.
Vancouver Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Connor McDavid among first six players named to Canada's Olympic hockey team
After making his mark with a series-winning goal in the 4 Nations Face-Off, Connor McDavid will get a chance at Olympic gold for the first time in his career. McDavid was among six names released by Hockey Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee on Monday. The other Canadian all-stars include: • Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins • Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche • Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. • Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning • Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers This will be McDavid's first Olympic appearance, as NHLers haven't played in the tournament since Sochi in 2014. 'We are excited to announce the first six players who will represent Canada at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games next February, as these are six world-class players and leaders that are deserving of this recognition,' said Canada GM Doug Armstrong. 'Sidney, Nathan, Cale, Connor, Brayden and Sam provide a strong foundation for a successful team and have been proven winners at all levels of their professional and international careers, and we look forward to all six being key contributors to our team as we look to accomplish our goal of winning Olympic gold.' McDavid has represented Canada before, but not on such a major stage. Other than gold at this year's 4 Nations Face-Off, the Oilers captain won gold at the 2013 World U18 Championship, the 2015 World Junior Championship and the 2016 World Championship. There is some unsettled business among Team Canada teammates this week, however. Both Reinhart and McDavid are still battling it out on opposite sides of the rink in the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers. Game 6 in that series goes tomorrow in Florida. The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics run Feb. 6-22 next year. Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.
Ottawa Citizen
6 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Connor McDavid among first six players named to Canada Olympic hockey team
Article content After making his mark with a series-winning goal in the 4 Nations Face-Off, Connor McDavid will get a chance at Olympic gold for the first time in his career. Article content McDavid was among six names released by Hockey Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee on Monday. Article content The other Canadian all-stars include: Article content Article content Article content This will be McDavid's first Olympic appearance, as NHLers haven't played in the tournament since Sochi in 2014. Article content 'We are excited to announce the first six players who will represent Canada at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games next February, as these are six world-class players and leaders that are deserving of this recognition,' said Canada GM Doug Armstrong. Article content 'Sidney, Nathan, Cale, Connor, Brayden and Sam provide a strong foundation for a successful team and have been proven winners at all levels of their professional and international careers, and we look forward to all six being key contributors to our team as we look to accomplish our goal of winning Olympic gold.' Article content McDavid has represented Canada before, but not on such a major stage. Other than gold at this year's 4 Nations Face-Off, the Oilers captain won gold at the 2013 World U18 Championship, the 2015 World Junior Championship and the 2016 World Championship. Article content Article content There is some unsettled business among Team Canada teammates this week, however. Article content Article content Both Reinhart and McDavid are still battling it out on opposite sides of the rink in the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers.
Edmonton Journal
6 days ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Connor McDavid among first six players named to Canada Olympic hockey team
Article content After making his mark with a series-winning goal in the 4 Nations Face-Off, Connor McDavid will get a chance at Olympic gold for the first time in his career. McDavid was among six names released by Hockey Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee on Monday. Article content • Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche • Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning • Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers 'We are excited to announce the first six players who will represent Canada at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games next February, as these are six world-class players and leaders that are deserving of this recognition,' said Canada GM Doug Armstrong. 'Sidney, Nathan, Cale, Connor, Brayden and Sam provide a strong foundation for a successful team and have been proven winners at all levels of their professional and international careers, and we look forward to all six being key contributors to our team as we look to accomplish our goal of winning Olympic gold.' McDavid has represented Canada before, but not on such a major stage. Other than gold at this year's 4 Nations Face-Off, the Oilers captain won gold at the 2013 World U18 Championship, the 2015 World Junior Championship and the 2016 World Championship. Latest National Stories
