December 2, 2005 – 2002 Olympic gold medallist Beckie Scott (cross-country skiing, Vermilion, Alta.) will be Canada’s nominee for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) . Established in 1981, the IOC Athletes’ Commission serves as a link between the athletes and the IOC. Composed of 19 active and retired athletes, the commission holds annual meetings and issues recommendations to the IOC Executive Board with the goal of ensuring that athletes’ needs are met.

Elections for the IOC Athletes’ Commission are held during each Olympic Games. Nominees are voted upon by the Games’ entire athlete delegation in a secret ballot. During the Winter Games, the top two athletes with the highest number of votes are elected for an eight-year term.

Should Scott be elected to the IOC Athletes’ Commission at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin she would also gain IOC membership status and join Richard Pound as Canada’s second IOC member.

“I wish to become a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and the IOC because I believe that athletes are a very important and integral part of the Olympic movement,” said Scott. “My commitment to competitive sport and the Olympic Games is based completely on ethical conduct, fair play and principles. I have witnessed first-hand the powerful and positive nature of Olympic sport and feel I could be a valuable influence as a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.”

Currently in her 10th year on the National Cross Country Ski Team, Scott is a two-time Olympian (1998, 2002) who has established herself as one of the world’s best cross-country racers.

In the 5km Pursuit race at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Scott became the first Canadian and the first North American woman to win an Olympic medal in cross-country skiing. Throughout her career, Scott has won seven World Cup medals and has been consistently in the top 10 throughout the last three ski seasons.

An advocate of drug-free sport, Scott is Canada’s current representative on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) newly formed Athlete Committee. As a member of the 13-person committee, Scott works with fellow international lobbyists to allow WADA closer contact with athletes and to give the agency better insight into their questions and concerns regarding doping.

In 2001, Scott spearheaded an athletes’ petition demanding the establishment of an independent drug-testing body for all International Ski Federation World Cup and Olympic competitions.

Scott has also been recognized for her charitable endeavours. She was named a UNICEF Canada Special Representative for challenging her fellow athletes at a Continental Cup event in 2001 to donate their prize money to an Afghanistan relief project.

“Beckie Scott epitomizes the excellence, values and ethics of an IOC Athletes’ Commission member,” said Chris Farstad, the COC’s Director of Athlete and Community Relations. “Throughout her distinguished career, Beckie has been a world-class performer and an inspiration to all Canadians through her successes on and off the field of play. The IOC Athletes’ Commission would be fortunate to have someone of Beckie’s calibre serve as a member.”

Nominations to the IOC Athletes’ Commission are held prior to each Olympic Games. In order to be eligible for the nomination, athletes must have participated in the previous Olympic Games or the Games during which the elections occur. In addition, athletes must have a clean doping offence record throughout their career. The IOC Athletes’ Commission is composed of 12 athletes elected by the athletes and seven athletes appointed by the IOC President to ensure a balance between regions, sexes and sports.

Previous Canadian athletes elected to the IOC Athletes’ Commission include Charmaine Crooks (athletics, North Vancouver, B.C.) who served from 1996-2004 and Ken Read (alpine skiing, Calgary, Alta.) who served from 1985-1998.