Thursday, January 17, 2002
Size not factor for Canada's IOC reps
By GEORGE GROSS -- Sun Media
And then there were three ... International Olympic Committee members in Canada, that is.
A year ago we boasted five IOC members, plus Jim Worrall as an honorary member.
Dick Pound of Montreal, Carol Anne Letheren of Toronto, Paul Henderson of Toronto, Charmaine Crooks of Vancouver and Dr. Bob Steadward of Edmonton were the regular members, thus tying Switzerland and Italy for most IOC members from one country.
However, in the past 12 months a lot has changed.
Letheren died of a brain aneurysm during a speech to York University alumni last February, and recently Steadward stepped down as president of the International Paralympic Committee after a tenure of 12 years.
This automatically ended his IOC membership. He became an IOC member as president of an international federation and was able to keep his IOC chair only while in that capacity.
That leaves only three active members from Canada. And active is indeed the operative word for all three.
Pound is no longer head of the IOC's marketing commission but still presides over the World Anti-Doping Agency, and in spite of his bantering with IOC president Dr. Jacques Rogge he's likely to be given other important portfolios.
Charmaine Crooks, one of the best-liked IOC members, is very active among athletes and sits on various commissions, while Henderson, as president of the International Sailing Federation, will remain with the IOC for another four years. He, too, is on some IOC commissions, albeit he resigned from WADA and the Canadian Olympic Association.
Henderson, who often refers to himself as the little bald-headed plumber from Toronto, has one of the most active brains in the IOC. Recently he has been working on a rowing course and recreational park on the shores of Lake Ontario but is having problems with the federal government.
"I have three strikes against me when dealing with the politicians," Henderson said. "I was born in Toronto, I speak only English and I have no hair. And you know just as well as I do that the country is united by a universal hatred of Toronto.
"Why else would the feds give the Toronto Olympic Bid for 2008 only $2.4 million of the promised $2.9 million, while giving Vancouver $9 million for its 2010 Winter Olympic bid?"
He came up for air before continuing his justified tirade against the government and in defence of Toronto.
"I'm sick and tired of all these politicians working against Toronto," he fumed. "Take that guy (Denis) Coderre. When he needed my vote to get Montreal the IOC vote for WADA (where WADA is based), he was all over me. He promised some funding for a feasibility study of the rowing course, but I haven't heard from him for six months. I don't mind being used, as long as they, too, stick to their promises."
Henderson won't have to worry about Coderre anymore. The former secretary for amateur sports was moved by his patron Jean Chretien in the recent cabinet shuffle to citizenship and immigration, a portfolio that is supposed to keep terrorists out of Canada.
Hopefully, he'll do a better job than he did in sports. As Henderson said:
"With the newly appointed Paul De Villers of Simcoe North in charge of amateur sports and Bill Graham, who's in my riding, having been appointed foreign minister, hopefully there comes a breath of fresh air for Canadian sports. Now we might get action instead of talk, as was the case before."
It seems, hope springs eternal for Canadian sports ...
GROSSLY ABBREVIATED:
A lot has been written about the prolonged contract negotiations between Maple Leafs management and star goaltender Curtis Joseph. Five will get you 10 that Cujo and his agent already have agreed to a new contract and the goalie will be in a Leafs uniform until his hair turns grey. It looks pretty much like the format that ended general manager/coach Pat Quinn's lengthy contract deliberations. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. chairman Steve Stavro stepped in a few days ago and ordered his front office troops to sign Quinn. Period. ... Congratulations to former Leafs superstar Red Kelly on being appointed to the Order of Canada. He joins former teammate Frank Mahovlich in the circle of honoured Canadians.
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