TORONTO, – The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) announced today that 2006 Olympians Cassie Campbell (ice hockey, Brampton, Ont.), Deidra Dionne (freestyle skiing, Red Deer, Alta.), Alexa Loo (snowboard, Richmond, B.C.) and Jeff Pain (skeleton, Calgary, Alta.) have each been elected to a four-year term on the organization’s Athlete Council.

2006 Olympian Beckie Scott (cross-country skiing, Vermilion, Alta.) was automatically appointed to an eight-year term on the 13-member Athlete Council after being elected to the IOC Athlete’s Commission on February 23.

Voting for the four elected positions took place from January 31 to February 26 via an online ballot.  All 196 athletes from the 2006 Canadian Olympic Team were eligible to vote.

“I’m truly honoured to have been elected and look forward to working on the COC Athletes Council,” said Campbell. “I’ve been a member of the Women’s High Performance Advisory Committee with Hockey Canada for the past few years and really enjoyed that experience.  I have always wanted to get more involved with the COC and I look forward to finding ways to assist Canadian athletes at all levels and in all sports.”

The five new Athlete Council members will officially begin serving their terms at the council's first meeting on April 27.  The Athlete Council is tasked with reviewing and providing recommendations to the COC on such issues as team selection, funding allocation and how to better support Canadian athletes to help them achieve podium success.

“The additions of Cassie Campbell, Deidra Dionne, Alexa Loo, Jeff Pain and Beckie Scott to the COC’s Athlete Council is great news for all Canadian Olympic athletes,” said COC Director of Athlete and Community Relations Chris Farstad. “Throughout their careers, all five have demonstrated outstanding excellence and leadership both on and off the field of play and each will help strengthen the voice of athletes within the Canadian Olympic movement.”

Olympic winter athletes from Canada were encouraged to run as candidates for the Athlete Council.  To be eligible, candidates must have competed at the 20 Olympic Winter Games.

Along with Campbell, Dionne, Loo, Pain and Scott, the current members of the COC’s Athlete Council include elected athletes Iain Brambell (rowing, Victoria, B.C.), David Ford (kayak, Edmonton, Alta.), Nicolas Gill (judo, Montreal, Que.), Daniel Igali (wrestling, Surrey, B.C.), Sherraine Mackay (fencing, Brooks, Alta.), Anne Montminy (diving, Montreal, Que.), appointed athlete representative Jaret Llewellyn (water ski, Innisfail, Alta.) and appointed Pan American Sport Organization Athlete Council member Charmaine Crooks (athletics, Vancouver, B.C.).

The Canadian Olympic Committee is a national, private, not-for-profit organization committed to sport excellence. 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 and a wide variety of programs that promote the Olympic Movement in Canada through cultural and educational means. For more information, see the COC website: www.olympic.ca.