The following is the open letter written by John Coates for the Sunday Telegraph on the 22nd of November 2009.
As a raw rowing manager many years ago, I dreamed that one day Australia would again host the Olympic Games. In Sydney in 2000, I felt privileged to be part of a celebration that engulfed the entire nation
The Australian Olympic Committee acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of all the lands on which we are located. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present.
We celebrate and honour all of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Olympians.
The Australian Olympic Committee is committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society and sport.
