Australia's Winter Olympians have embraced the Australian Olympians' Oath ahead of the Beijing 2022 Games.
Following this week’s announcement of a 44 strong Australian Team for Beijing, a new video celebrating the Oath has been unveiled featuring retired Olympic champions and the new generation of winter stars.
The Australian Olympians’ Oath is an initiative of the AOC Athletes’ Commission, which signed off on a final form of words in 2020 after consulting Olympic alumni and the AOC Indigenous Advisory Committee.
The Australian Team at the Tokyo 2020 Games became the first to recite the Oath, now their winter colleagues will take the concept forward.
The purpose of the Oath is to provide Olympic athletes with an enduring reflection of the culture, values and unique place Olympians hold in Australian society.
The video features:
• Lydia Lassila – Aerials - Gold medallist Vancouver 2010
• Harley Windsor – Figure skating – Australia’s first Indigenous Winter Olympian PyeongChang 2018
• Jacqui Cooper – Aerials – three times world champion
• Steven Bradbury – Speed Skating – Australia’s first Gold medallist Salt Lake City 2002
• Britt Cox – Moguls – Australia’s youngest at Vancouver 2010, attending fourth Olympics Beijing
• Scotty James – Snowboard Halfpipe - Australia’s Flag Bearer PyeongChang 2018 & bronze medallist
• Zali Steggall – Alpine skiing – Australia’s first Winter individual medallist, Nagano 1998
• David Morris – Aerials – Australia’s most successful men’s aerial skier, Silver medal Sochi 2014
• Alisa Camplin-Warner – Aerials – Gold medallist 2002, Deputy Chef de Mission Beijing 2022
AOC Athletes’ Commission Chair and two times Winter Olympian in Ski Cross, Scott Kneller says the Oath reflects who Olympians are.
“The words of the Oath are meaningful for all Olympians. It reflects what we are all about in life and sport – the standards we set for ourselves and as Olympic Team members.
“The Winter Team has also had difficult individual journeys to qualify for these Games. The Oath is one of the important ways that they can unite and show their pride as Australian Olympians who are representing their country.
“We witnessed what this meant to the summer Team which competed in Tokyo. The way they came together – the different sports and disciplines - and recited the Oath and bonded.
“This Beijing 2022 winter Team will take this tradition forward, Mr Kneller concluded.
A special copy of the Oath has been included in welcome packs awaiting every Winter Olympian when they arrive in Beijing.
