December 5, 2003 (Toronto, ON) – The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) is pleased to announce that Charmaine Crooks has been elected to the Executive Board of the World Olympians Association (WOA). At the WOA General Assembly in Lausanne, Switzerland last week, Crooks, whose name was put forward by the COC, was one of nine athletes elected from amongst 27 candidates.

Crooks is an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member and COC Executive Committee Member based in Vancouver. She will be ending her four-year term as a member of the IOC's Athletes' Commission at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. This new role as a WOA Executive will allow her the opportunity to continue her advocacy work on behalf of Olympians. In particular, Crooks will attend to issues of interest to Canadian Olympians.

“I'm excited that I can continue to represent Canadian Olympians on the international scene,” said Crooks, an Olympic silver medallist in Athletics at the 1996 Olympic Games. “I strongly believe that as an executive member of the WOA, I can promote Olympic values and make significant contributions to the Olympic movement.”

The responsibilities of the WOA include providing educational programs, fighting against the use of drugs in sport, promoting environmental protection, working against violence and intolerance in sport, supporting diversity and equality in sports and sport management and contributing to sport-centred charitable programs.

“The WOA has a powerful voice in the Olympic Community.  Its youth and community service programs have the ability to positively impact communities and youth sport programs all around the world,” said Crooks.

The WOA is an independent, global organization that represents all Olympians. Over 100,000 Olympians around the world remain involved in the Olympic movement through the WOA athlete services.

The COC has established its own Olympic athlete network called Olympians Canada.  Small chapters of Olympians Canada are beginning to sprout up across the country. The primary objectives of these chapters are to recognize and celebrate the achievements of Canadian athletes, foster a spirit of pride and fraternity amongst Olympians in Canada, encourage and facilitate mentor relationships of Olympians with Olympic hopefuls and raise the awareness of the Canadian Olympic Committee and its Athlete Services.