After devoting much of her life to the sport of canoeing as a competitor, judge and administrator Helen Brownlee has been honoured as the first woman awarded life membership of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).

Brownlee who is also the first woman elected to the AOC Executive Board 20 years ago joins a long list of distinguished males including John Devitt, Michael Wenden, Judy (Julius) Patching and Syd Grange as honorary life members.

“I feel particularly humbled and somewhat overwhelmed to be honoured in this way, in joining such icons of the Olympic Movement,” she said. “Many of these men have been wonderful mentors on my Olympic journey, and I am indebted to their vision and support.”   

Brownlee started in competitive canoeing as a teenager and won medals at state, national and international levels. Her love affair with the sport stretches over 50 years.

She was a judge at the 1972 Munich and 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, and a member of the Competition Jury for the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games. She was a groundbreaker for women in sports administration working through the ranks and rising to the top as President of the Australian Canoe Federation. She later became a life member.

Helen has been honoured by the International Olympic Committee for her work in education and invited to become a member of the IOC Commission for Culture and Olympic Education.

She has also been a strong advocate for the involvement of more women in sport.

"Helen has led by example and provided encouragement, direction and support for the increased participation by women," said AOC President John Coates.

In 2002 Helen was awarded the IOC Women and Sport Trophy for Oceania in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the promotion of women in sport.

“Following the IOC’s goal of increasing opportunities for women to participate in sport and to be more involved in the decision making processes, it is pleasing to note the changing attitudes within sporting organisations towards gender equality,” Coates said. “As more women take on a leadership role in their chosen sport they bring alternative values, knowledge and capabilities to the table, expanding the talent base and challenging gender stereotypes.”

Speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the AOC in Sydney today, Coates continued his push for gender diversity in sport.

Under his Presidency there has been a steady increase in the number of Australian women participating at the Olympic Games and with it more success for our women at the Games. 46% of the athletes in the Australian Olympic Team at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games were female and they won 58% of medals won by Australia.

50% of the athletes in the 2010 Australian Olympic Winter Team were females and they won 66.6% of medals won by Australia. “Gender equity in an Australian Olympic Team has been a long time goal and to finally see it in Vancouver was very pleasing,” Coates said.

He called on representatives of the Olympic sports to include more women in board, senior management and employed positions. Of the 32 National Federations which are voting members of the AOC, 8 Presidents (22%) and 10 Chief Executive Officers (28%) are female.

Coates said “he is proud that of the AOC’s 29 staff, 20 (69%) are women and two of the five (40%) senior management positions at the AOC are held by women.”

However, the current AOC Executive of 15 includes only two females (13%) which, while in line with the average representation of women on boards of the top 50 ASX companies (12.85%), is not reflective of the number of females now in our Olympic Teams.

Coates strongly supports an increase in that number at the next election of the AOC Executive in 2013. “I urge our member National Federations to place gender diversity high among their considerations when submitting nominations for the election of the next AOC Executive,” he said.

The AOC Athletes Commission already has gender equity, with the AOC Constitution requiring that there be an equal representation of male and female members (5 of each).

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