Rowie Webster Elected To AOC Athletes Commission

Australia’s Olympic athletes in Tokyo have elected five new members to the AOC Athletes’ Commission following the closure of voting in the Olympic Village on Saturday.
 
The new members elected are Rowie Webster (Water Polo), Rachael Lynch (Hockey), Cameron Girdlestone (Rowing), Andrew Charter (Hockey) and Alex Winwood (Boxing). All five members competed here in Tokyo.
 
Re-elected members were Jess Fox, Cate Campbell and Ken Wallace.
   
Winter Olympians Lydia Lassila and Scott Kneller will continue their important work on the Commission ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games next February.
 
For Aussie Stingers Captain Rowie Webster, she is thrilled at the opportunity to represent all athletes and work with the Commission to advocate for athletes. 
 
“It’s such an honour… to be recognised by my peers not only in Water Polo Australia but the broader Australian Olympic Team, it’s a real privilege. 
 
“To represent the population of athletes well, and positively and to only make things better moving forward is something that I’m really looking forward to doing,” she said. 
 
Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman says the Tokyo Olympians were a really engaged group and they will make a valuable contribution in the important work undertaken by the Commission.
 
“In welcoming this new and very enthusiastic group of athletes, I must pay tribute to the enormous amount of work undertaken by the outgoing Committee in representing the athlete perspective.
 
“Their thoughts around the set-up for these Tokyo Games was a critical factor in assisting our goal of providing the best possible high-performance environment at the Games.
  
AOC President John Coates says the Athletes’ Commission has advanced the AOC’s objectives around gender equity and Indigenous Reconciliation.
 
“Pending the appointment of a second Indigenous voice, we have five women and five men on the Commission. Initiatives such as the Indigenous Forum last year showed the power of the collaboration between the Commission and the IAC.
 
“The Commission has also demonstrated the very important capacity to listen to fellow athletes, with the survey undertaken last year around athletes’ rights to express themselves at Games, a prime example. That initiative showed global leadership on an important issue,” Mr Coates concluded.
 
The Athletes’ Commission will elect a new Chair and Deputy Chair (must be a male and a female) at its meeting scheduled in September.