September 21, 2003 (Toronto, ON) – The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) today released the names of its seven nominees to the Board of Directors of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (VOCOG).

The Board will be comprised of 19 members representing the City of Vancouver, Resort Municipality of Whistler, Government of British Columbia, Government of Canada, local First Nations (Squamish and LilWat), Canadian Paralympic Committee and the COC.

Included among the seven COC Board Members will be Canada's three International Olympic Committee members – Richard Pound, Charmaine Crooks and Paul Henderson – and COC President Michael Chambers and CEO and Secretary General Chris Rudge. These five members are selections proscribed by the Olympic Charter.

Today at its Executive Committee meeting, the COC confirmed its remaining two members to the Board.

The COC's nominee for an athlete who recently competed at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City is double Olympic gold medallist in speed skating, Catriona Le May Doan. Le May Doan's achievements on the ice have made her a legend in Canadian sport. She is the only Canadian ever to defend a gold medal at any Olympic Games, winning the 500 m event at both the 2002 and 1998 Olympic Winter Games. In an incredible 2002 season, Le May Doan captured the World, Olympic and World Cup titles in the 500m distance. She was Canada's flag bearer at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City and received the 2002 Lou Marsh Award as Canada's Athlete of the Year. She is a three-time recipient of the Canadian Female Athlete of the Year Award (1998, 2001, 2002) and was a member of the Board of the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation. She is also a talented speaker who has motivated thousands of children and adults with her inspirational message of achieving personal excellence.

“Catriona has demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to excellence in her athletic career,” said Chambers. “In addition, she is fluently bilingual and has lived and trained in Calgary so she recognizes the benefits to the athlete community through a strong legacy of an Olympic Games. We believe these qualities will serve the COC, the VOCOG, athletes and all Canadians well in Catriona's selection as a Director of the VOCOG Board.”

The seventh nominee of the COC is Michael Phelps of Vancouver. Phelps recently retired as Chairman and CEO of Westcoast Energy Inc.

In his distinguished career, Phelps has held various executive positions within Westcoast Energy Inc. including Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He was appointed President and CEO in June 1988 and Chairman of the Board in October 1992. Prior to joining Westcoast Energy, Phelps served as Crown Attorney, Province of Manitoba; Special Advisor to the Minister of Justice in Ottawa; and as Executive Assistant to the Federal Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources.

Phelps sits on a number of Boards including CIBC, Canfor Corporation, Canadian Pacific and the Asia Pacific Foundation, and he currently chairs the federal government's Wise Persons Committee, which is examining the structure of capital markets in Canada.

For many years, Phelps has participated in the support and leadership of Canadian athletes and as a leading supporter of Alpine Canada. Born in Montreal, he is fluently bilingual and holds a B.A. and an LL.B. from the University of Manitoba. He completed his Master of Laws from the London School of Economics in 1971 and received an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Winnipeg in 1992, and from Simon Fraser University in 1994.

“After consulting with our bid partners, particularly the City of Vancouver and the Province of B.C., we recognized the importance of including strong representation from the Vancouver community amongst our Board nominees,” said Chambers. “Phelps' impeccable record as a Western Canadian business leader, his political acumen and his strong understanding of the need for support of our Olympic athletes ideally suit him to serve on the Board of the VOCOG.

“We look forward to working with all the Directors as we move forward with the process of selecting a Chairman, initiating a process for the selection of the CEO and the building of the Vancouver OCOG management team. This is an exciting time for sport in Canada.”

The COC is a private, not-for-profit corporation and the largest private funder of high performance sport in Canada. It is responsible for all aspects of Canada's involvement in the Olympic movement, including Canada's participation in the Olympic and Pan American Games. In addition, the COC manages a wide variety of programs that promote the Olympic Movement in Canada through cultural and educational means. For more information please visit the COC website: www.olympic.ca