After eight years on the NZOC Athletes' Commission, Sarah Cowley Ross is stepping down. Elected in 2016 during the Rio Olympics, she became Chair in 2020 and has been a vital member throughout her tenure.
Reflecting on her time on the Commission, Sarah described it as a privilege, highlighting the importance of service. She expressed pride in advocating for the athlete voice across various platforms, including the IOC, ANOC, ONOC, WADA, CWG, and NZOC.
Richie Patterson, the new Chair, acknowledged the high standard Sarah set and feels honored to have worked alongside her.
Other ex-officio members stepping down include Sarah Walker, Ben Sandford, and Ali Shanks.
Sarah Walker, appointed to the IOC Athletes' Commission during the Rio 2016 Olympics, is stepping down as an ex-officio member of both the NZOC Athletes' Commission and the NZOC Board, marking a total of eight years in these roles. However, she has been appointed as an IOC Member and will remain on the NZOC Board for a further eight years, when she will be up for reappointment..
Sarah Cowley Ross encouraged athletes on the Commission to be authentic and share their unique perspectives and experiences. She emphasized that being part of an Athletes' Commission means embracing diverse viewpoints, which are both valued and expected. She believes that different ways of thinking enrich the athlete voice and align with the Commission’s core values.
Ben Sandford has been on the NZOC Athletes' Commission since 2010, until stepping down in 2024. Additionally, he served on the WADA Athletes' Commission from 2013 to 2023, making a total of 14 years over both these roles. Reflecting on his 14 years with the Athletes' Commission, Ben praised the current Commission for being refreshingly open, inclusive, and willing to listen and engage in meaningful discussions. He also commended the NZOC for being receptive to challenges.
Ali Shanks has served on the NZOC Athletes' Commission since 2014 until 2024, also representing the CGF Athlete Advisory Group from 2018, a total of 10 years. Reflecting on her time, Ali noted the Commission’s transformation from merely existing to becoming a body of real impact. She attributed much of this success to Sarah Cowley Ross’s leadership and her ability to foster an inclusive and effective environment. Ali emphasized the importance of a capable internal team within the NZOC focused on athlete engagement and the need for decisive action, with a key milestone being the success of the Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Advisory Commission.
Emma Twigg, who was also elected at Tokyo and has served on the Commission for three years, is stepping down as well.
The current Athletes' Commission members are:
- Richie Patterson (Chair)
- Beau James Wells
Ex-officio members:
- Kayla Whitelock (ONOC Athletes' Commission Member)
- Marcus Daniell (IOC Athletes' Commission Member)
- Julia Ratcliffe (CGF Athletes Advisory Commission Member)
The commission are extremely excited to announce that Eliza McCartney, Olympian #1312, and Dylan Schmidt, Olympian #1346, have been elected as the new representatives, while Athlete's Commission representative Max Brown, Olympian #1398, has been re-elected for a second term.