May 7, 2009 – Canada’s rising star, Alex Harvey was dropped last week from the national senior men’s team amid preparations for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. He has now been demoted to the B (development) team. Harvey, 20, is considered to be a top international contender and has mounted the podium at several World Cup races most notably in the 50km classic in Trondheim, Norway.

According to recent reports Cross Country Canada’s (CCC) high-performance director Tom Holland explains that the decision was based on Harvey’s choice of training location [in Quebec and Austria] rather than with the rest of the team in western Canada. CCC claims that the demotion will not affect Harvey’s opportunities at the Olympics or his funding.

Harvey’s coach, Louis Bouchard, however contends that the downgrade will cost the skier some $15,000 in subsidies for training camps. This is because Harvey will have to cover expenses associated with training with the Quebec team whereas these costs are covered by the National team if he elected to train with them.

Radio stations in Quebec are abuzz with news of this decision by Cross Country Canada amid accusations of discrimination against the athlete from that province. The debate even echoed in the Canadian Parliament with Liberal Denis Coderre-formerly Canada’s Secretary of State for Amateur Sport pointing out that Beckie Scott remained part of the national team early in the 2000s while not participating at all training camps (she was living in the USA).

In January 2009, Harvey claimed team sprint bronze with team mate George Gray at the at the World Cup at Whistler Olympic Park site of the 2010 Nordic events followed up by his third in the 50km classic in Norway. In 2008 Harvey became the first Canadian to win both silver and bronze medals at the Nordic Junior World Championships. His father, Pierre Harvey, won three World Cup gold medals and competed at the Olympic Winter Games in 1984 and 1988.

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