Michael A. Chambers

Last updated

Michael A. Chambers
Born
Old Ottawa East, Ottawa, Canada
NationalityCanadian
OccupationLawyer
Known forPresident of the Canadian Olympic Committee
Honours Olympic Order (2010)
Canadian Olympic Order (2012) Honorary Doctorate University of Ottawa (2013)

Michael A. Chambers [1] is the former president of the Canadian Olympic Committee and senior partner at Maclaren Corlett LLP. As of 2021, Chambers serves as chair of the Association of National Olympic Committees Legal Commission, chair of the Panam Sports Legal Commission, and chair of the Ethics Commission of the International Canoe Federation.

Contents

A former athlete, Chambers served as president of Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) between 1986 and 1988 after having been appointed by the CKC in 1984 to be its representative on the Canadian Olympic Committee. From 2001 to 2010, Chambers served as president of the Canadian Olympic Committee before serving on the executive board and various Commission positions with Association of National Olympic Committees and with the Pan American Sports Organization now known as Panam Sports.

In 2010, he was honoured with the Olympic Order for his services to the Olympic Movement in Canada.

Personal life

Chambers came from a family of paddlers. His father, a 1936 Canadian Canoe Racing National Champion, volunteered with the Rideau Canoe Club which is where his parents met. [2] It was through his history of paddling that Chambers became one of the founding directors of the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival [3] and served as its chairman from 1999 to 2001. [2]

Chambers earned his commerce law degree at the University of Ottawa. [4] In 2010, he was inducted into the Common Law Honour Society of the University of Ottawa. [5] In 2013, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Ottawa.[ citation needed ]

Career

As a teenager in the 1960s, Chambers competed with the Rideau Canoe Club and later served on its board of directors before becoming president of the Canoe Kayak Canada. Through his presidency with Canoe Kayak Canada, he served on the board of the Canadian Olympic Association, now the Canadian Olympic Committee. [2] In 2001, Chambers was elected president of the association (later renamed Canadian Olympic Committee) after running against fellow lawyer Doug Hamilton. [6] Chambers had been previously involved with the Olympic Games by serving as Chef de Mission of the Canadian Olympic Team at the 1996 Summer Olympics. [7]

Immediately following the 2002 Winter Olympics, Chambers initiated and spearheaded an appeal on behalf of cross country skier Beckie Scott which ultimately led to Beckie Scott having her bronze medal won at the Games upgraded to gold in accord with the Order of the Court of Arbitration for Sport. [2] [8]

He was re-elected as president in 2005 [9] and in October 2008, became the first Canadian to be elected vice-president of the Pan American Sports Organization. [10] That same year, the Canadian Olympic Committee began the Athlete Excellence Fund for Beijing 2008, which provides athletes with monetary rewards for placements in the top five and above during the Olympic games. The Athlete Excellence Fund was the first of its kind from the Canadian Olympic Committee for Canadian athletes. [11]

He then served as vice chair of Vancouver's 2010 Olympic and Paralympic bid and on VANOC's Governance and Ethics committee. [7] In 2010, he was replaced as president of the Canadian Olympic Committee by Marcel Aubut [12] and assumed the role of president of the Pan American Sport Organization Legislative Commission. [7] On 1 March 2010, Chambers was awarded the Olympic Order for his contributions to Canadian sport and the Olympics globalization. [10]

In 2012, the president of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) announced he would like to create a Legal Commission consisting of Chambers, Gilbert Grésenguet, and Marc Theisen. [13] In 2013, ANOC created the Juridical Commission which Chambers was elected chairman of. [14] The same year, he was inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame [2] and awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Ottawa. [4]

Due to his Olympic Games experience, he was selected for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) 2014 Olympic Winter Games Working Group. [7] The IOC working group is composed of experts from the International Federations, National Olympic Committees, and the IOC Athletes’ Commission to evaluate country bids. [15] He also served on the Toronto 2015 PanAm Games Organizing Committee board with Chris Rudge, Marcel Aubut, and Roger Garland [16] and in 2016 joined an organizing committee headed by John Furlong to encourage another Canadian Olympic bid. [17]

In 2016, Chambers served as chair of the ANOC Legal Commission, [18] and was re-selected as chairman for the 2018–2022 commission. [19] [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Olympic Committee</span> National Olympic committee in Canada

The Canadian Olympic Committee is a private nonprofit organization that represents Canada at the International Olympic Committee. It is also a member of the Pan American Sports Organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Olympic Committee</span> National constituent of the worldwide Olympic movement

A National Olympic Committee (NOC) is a national constituent of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, NOCs are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games. They may nominate cities within their respective areas as candidates for future Olympic Games. NOCs also promote the development of athletes and the training of coaches and officials at a national level within their geographies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beckie Scott</span> Canadian cross-country skier

Rebecca "Beckie" Scott, is a Canadian retired cross-country skier. She is Chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Athlete Committee, and served as an International Olympic Committee member by virtue of being elected to the IOC Athlete's Commission along with Saku Koivu between 2006 and 2014. She is married to the American former cross-country skier Justin Wadsworth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcel Aubut</span>

Marcel Aubut, is a Canadian lawyer, former president of the Canadian Olympic Committee and former president and Chief Executive Officer of the Quebec Nordiques of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was a board member of many businesses and organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sprint canoe</span>

A sprint canoe is a canoe used in International Canoe Federation canoe sprint. It is an open boat propelled by one, two or four paddlers from a kneeling position, using single-bladed paddles. The difficulty of balance can depend on how wide or narrow the canoe is, although regularly the less contact a canoe has with the water the faster it goes. This makes the narrower boats much faster and popular when it comes to racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Surfing Association</span> International sport governing body

The International Surfing Association (ISA) is the world governing authority for surfing, SUP racing, SUP surfing, para surfing, bodyboarding and all other wave riding activities. The ISA is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean-Luc Brassard</span> Canadian freestyle skier

Jean-Luc Brassard is a Canadian freestyle skier, winning the gold medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics. Brassard has been credited with popularizing the wearing of bright knee pads to show off absorption and leg position for mogul skiers to best show judges how smoothly the athlete is taking the turns. He was born in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec. In his other Olympic appearances, Brassard placed 7th in 1992, 4th in 1998 and 21st in 2002.

Mario Vázquez Raña was a Mexican businessman and sports administrator, who served on both national and Olympic committees. He served as a member of the executive board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) until 2012. He was the President of the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charmaine Crooks</span> Canadian athlete and administrator

Charmaine Crooks, is a Canadian businesswoman, sports executive, and retired sprinter and middle-distance runner. Crooks was born in Mandeville, Jamaica, but represented Canada for close to 20 years in athletics. She was a five-time Olympian, winning silver and setting a national record of 3:21.21 in the 4 x 400 metres relay with her teammates Jillian Richardson, Molly Killingbeck, and Marita Payne. The first Canadian woman to run 800 metres in under two minutes, Crooks also won gold medals at the Pan American, Commonwealth, World Student Games, and World Cup. In 1996, she had the honour of being Canada's flag bearer at the opening ceremonies of the Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games. She is the fifth child with five sisters and three brothers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Association of National Olympic Committees</span> Sports organisation

The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) is an international organization that affiliates the current 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Each year it gathers all its members at the ANOC General Assembly, in which the ANOC Awards are awarded to NOCs and their athletes since 2014. The association organises the ANOC World Beach Games, a multi-sport event held every two years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panam Sports</span> International sports organization

Panam Sports is an international organization which represents the current 41 National Olympic Committees of the American continent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canoe Kayak Canada</span> Governing body of competitive canoeing and kayaking disciplines in Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the governing body of competitive canoeing and kayaking disciplines in Canada. The three specific disciplines represented are flatwater, whitewater and marathon. Canoe Kayak Canada officially replaced the name "Canadian Canoe Association" in 2005, although the former title is still used by the organization. The name change came about from a desire to include the kayaking discipline in the organization's name.

Penny Christine Werthner-Bales is a retired female track and field athlete, who represented Canada at the 1976 Summer Olympics in the women's 1.500 metres. She claimed the bronze medal in the women's 800 metres event at the 1971 Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia, followed by a bronze in the 1.500 metres in 1979.

Robert Hargan Storey is a Canadian bobsledder who competed from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s who later became a businessman and chairman of two communication companies in Canada. Storey served as fourth president of the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing from 1994 to 2010, and was instrumental in Vancouver being awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics. He went on to marry Catherine Storey and they had three children.

Hasan Arat is a Turkish sports administrator, businessman, former professional basketball player and current chairman of Beşiktaş He was the leader of Istanbul's Bid to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Pierre-Luc Poulin is a Canadian sprint kayaker. He won several World Cup and international medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Pan American Games</span> 19th edition of the Pan American Games

The 2023 Pan American Games, officially the XIX Pan American Games and commonly known as Santiago 2023, were an international multi-sport event governed by the Panam Sports Organization, held in Santiago, Chile from October 20 to November 5, 2023; preliminary rounds in certain events began on October 18, 2023. These are the first Pan American Games to be held in Chile, and the eighth to be held in South America. This was the most successful Pan American Games for Brazil with 66 gold medals and for Mexico with 52 gold medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics</span> Canada at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo

Canada competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the nation's debut in 1900, Canadian athletes have appeared in every edition of the Summer Olympic Games, with the exception of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow because of the country's support for United States-led boycott.

Canoeing competitions at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, are scheduled to be held at the Rio Canete located in the city of Lunahuaná (slalom) and Albufera Medio Mundo in the city of Huacho (sprint).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neven Ilic</span> Chilean businessperson

Neven Iván Ilic Álvarez is a Chilean engineer and sports official that was born on 4 April 1962 in Antofagasta, Chile. He is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

References

  1. ↑ "Michael Chambers". olympic.ca. Archived from the original on 1 January 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Edwards, Blair (9 May 2013). "Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame inducts two Kanata originals". therecord.com. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  3. ↑ "The little festival that did". Ottawa Citizen. 18 May 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2019. Ling, now 76, became chair of the festival and is credited as a founder along with Warren Creates and Mike Chambers who were present at the meeting.
  4. 1 2 "The Right Honourable Paul Martin to receive uOttawa honorary doctorate along with 8 other outstanding figures". uottawa.ca. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  5. ↑ "Michael Chambers". uottawa.ca. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  6. ↑ "Chambers to head COA". The Globe and Mail. 23 April 2001. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Inductees Announced". olympic.ca. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  8. ↑ "Court Orders IOC to Award Beckie Scott Gold Medal". olympic.ca. 18 December 2003. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  9. ↑ "Chambers returns as COC president". cbc.ca. 27 April 2005. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  10. 1 2 "COC President Michael Chambers Awarded the Olympic Order". olympic.ca. 3 March 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  11. ↑ "Canadian Olympic Committee Unveils New Athlete Excellence Fund". olympic.ca. 19 November 2007. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  12. ↑ "Former Nordiques president Aubut to head COC". cbc.ca. 28 March 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  13. ↑ "MINUTES OF THE XVIII ANOC GENERAL ASSEMBLY MOSCOW – 13th to 15th April 2012" (PDF). aisne.franceolympique.com. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  14. ↑ "SHEIKH AHMAD AL-FAHAD AL-SABAH ENSURES "GROWTH & OPTIMISM" FOR ANOC IN 2014". anocolympic.org. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  15. ↑ "Report by the IOC Candidature Acceptance Working Group to the IOC Executive Board" (PDF). olympic.org. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  16. ↑ Babbage, Maria (28 December 2009). "Search on for CEO of Toronto's Pan Am Games". Globe and Mail. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  17. ↑ Maki, Allen (23 June 2016). "Troubled COC turns to John Furlong to punch up next Olympic bid". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  18. ↑ "ANOC LEGAL COMMISSION MEETS AT ANOC HEADQUARTERS". anocolympic.org. 2 June 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  19. ↑ "ANOC confirms new ANOC Executive Council (2018-2022) and ANOC Commissions". noc.by. 13 December 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  20. ↑ "ANOC Commission" (PDF). anocolympic.org. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.