Hooker elected AOC Athletes Commission Chair

Beijing 2008 Olympic Champion and three-time Olympian Steve Hooker has been elected as Chair of the Australian Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission.

The 34-year-old was chosen by his fellow Athletes’ Commission members with Rio 2016 Olympic rowing champion Kim Brennan appointed his deputy.

The Commission plays an important role in providing advice to the AOC Executive on all matters relating to the Olympic Movement from an athlete’s perspective.

“It’s an honour to have been selected as the Chair,“ said Hooker following the newly elected Commission’s first meeting.

“This is a group of passionate athletes that I’m proud to be a part of and I know we’re all motivated to achieve a lot over the next term.”

Hooker was first elected to the Commission following the London 2012 Games and believes the group of athletes are crucial in providing a voice for Olympic athletes past and present.

“We’ve achieved some great things over the past four years and I think the fact we have a number of athletes returning to the Commission will be great for continuity.

“This will help us with the implementation of those tasks already in the works, such as an athlete-career transition program that will be run by the AOC, while we are also keen to shift our focus to other areas of improvement as well.”

Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates praised the Commission’s selection.

“I was very pleased to receive the news of Steve’s appointment by his colleagues,” Coates said, “his profile as an Olympic gold medallist is great for both the Commission and the AOC Executive of which he now becomes a full voting member of."

Hooker leapt into Australian Olympic history when he won gold and broke the Olympic record in Beijing. In doing so he became the first Australian male athletics athlete to stand on top of the Olympic podium in 40 years.

After winning World Championship gold in 2009, he defended his 2006 Commonwealth Games title in 2010 before making his final Olympic appearance at the London 2012 Games.

Hooker heads an impressive list of Summer and Winter Olympians from a variety of sports that includes Queensland pole vaulter and Oceania record holder Alana Boyd.

The news comes less than a week after Athletics Australia President Mark Arbib's appointment to the AOC's executive.

“It's an honour to be elected as a representative on the AOC Executive. As a former Federal Sports Minister, I have had a long association with the AOC, it's an outstanding organisation that works hard for Australian sport. I look forward to working with President John Coates, the other members of the Executive and management team for the betterment of our athletes, coaches and the sports community.” Arbib said.

The AOC Athletes’ Commission:

Chair: Steve Hooker (Athletics)
Deputy Chair: Kim Brennan (Rowing) 

Alana Boyd (Athletics)
Ramone Cooper (Freestyle Skiing)
Cate Campbell (Swimming)
Jamie Dwyer (Hockey)
Jessica Fox (Canoe/Kayak)
Lydia Lassila (Freestyle Skiing)
James Tomkins (Rowing)
Ken Wallace (Canoe/Kayak)
Shelley Watts (Boxing)

Olympics.com.au