Island-based Rowing Canada issued an open letter Friday to its stakeholders promising an independent review of its high-performance programs and a deep dive into its “systems, structures, and policies related to governance and management.”
The review process will begin next month. The selected independent reviewer will arrange an option for providing feedback anonymously.
Rowing Canada also vowed to provide enhanced trauma and informed training and care for athletes and staff within the national Safe Sport guidelines, greater gender equity and diversity in coaching, greater transparency and accountability in processes for hiring high-performance coaches, more transparency and accountability in the processes for high-performance athlete selection and more alumni involvement.
Rowing Canada said the open letter was to address “issues raised.”
The organization added: “The [Rowing Canada] board received several letters in late 2021 and early 2022 from members of our community expressing concerns regarding the governance, management, and high-performance aspects of the organization.
“Issues included deep concerns about the high-performance training environment and its oversight, transparency in communications, interpersonal issues, unclear roles and responsibilities, and unclear complaint management processes.
“We are grateful to those who have shared their comments, experiences and concerns. We are listening and we want to work with you towards a healthy and inclusive culture.”
Former Canadian women’s head coach Dave Thompson, a New Zealander who was based in Victoria, was fired just months before the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics were originally set to begin before being postponed one year due to the pandemic. According to reporter Neil Davidson of the Canadian Press, an independent third-party report in 2020 said Thompson violated the harassment and bullying sections of the Rowing Canada abuse, harassment and bullying policy.
The Elk Lake-based Canadian crews won two medals last summer in the Tokyo Olympics with gold in the women’s eight and Caileigh Filmer of Victoria and Hillary Janssens of Cloverdale taking bronze in the women’s pair. They were the 42nd and 43rd Olympic medals won by Canada in rowing, the third highest total among Canadian sports in the Summer Games behind track and field and swimming. There was a close call, as well, with the Canadian men’s pair of Kai Langerfeld of Parksville and veteran and London 2012 Olympic medallist Conlin McCabe edged for the bronze medal by half a second by Denmark.
The Tokyo showing was a bit of a revival following the dip when Canada won just one Olympic rowing medal at Rio 2016 with Victoria rowers Patricia Obee and Lindsay Jennerich capturing silver in the women’s lightweight double.
The national team rowers train on Elk Lake in Saanich and Quamichan Lake in North Cowichan with Rowing Canada planning to vacate their longtime home on Elk Lake exclusively for Quamichan Lake in training for Paris for 2024 and Los Angeles 2028. Rugby Canada, another Island-based national sporting organization, has launched similiar reviews regarding its training culture in Langford.
— With a file from The Canadian Press
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